Exhale
by Ambrosia Rush
Summary: At the end of the day they all exhale in a sigh of relief because they have survived another day. The moments before and after cases where life happens. A look at partnerships/friendships/relationships and family. Nallen, Densi, Sam/OC, Eric/OC pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to Exhale. If you haven't read the three stories that proceed this one, I suggest reading them to avoid confusion. (Series order can be found on my profile.) Other than that, let me know what you think of this new series, and (hopefully) enjoy the read :)**

::

White sand and clear blue waters were like a siren's call to Deeks.

He'd been up since five, had coffee and breakfast. He'd put the surfboards on top of his cherry red Jeep Rubicon the night before. Fully prepared for the morning he drove in board shorts and a old worn down to perfect softness sweater. He made his way to the beach through the light morning traffic and parked in his usual spot.

"You're late," Kensi said before sipping her coffee. She sat on the hood of her silver SRX, her back leaning against the windshield as she looked out to the ocean. It was a good view, she had to admit especially since there was a lack of seagulls and people, it was empty but for a few early rising surfers and a couple of enthusiastic joggers.

"Am not," Deeks responded with a smile as he got out of his vehicle and stretched out. It had been a while after the entire Bosnia incident that he had even wanted to go surfing. The effects of the withdrawal of the drug Slavko Pike had shot him up with had kept him irritable, but Kensi, bless her, had put up with his cranky ass. Now three months later, he was thankful that their jobs had been much simpler, and lacked the personal side that Bosnia had, had. "Got one for me?" he asked motioning toward the coffee in her hands.

She took a coffee from the cardboard holder and passed it to him. "Soy milk, two sugars."

"Thanks," he replied happily taking a sip. He liked that she knew just how he enjoyed his coffee, his pizza, she'd order donuts for the team and two of his favourite would be in the mix. She just knew him, like he knew her. "Nervous?"

"No." Kensi lied, sliding off the front of her vehicle. She finished off her coffee and threw it in one of the garbage bins.

Deeks smiled, knowing full well she was lying. "It'll be fun," he assured her.

"It's cold, it's early... I haven't had _nearly_ enough coffee for this." Kensi argued. She stood before him in a pair of beaten up jeans with a hole in the right knee and a white sweater, her hair up in a ponytail.

He stripped off his sweater throwing it into the front seat of his vehicle through the open window. He reached in the back and pulled out a wetsuit. "This should just about fit you," he tossed it to her. "Laney is about three inches taller than you so you might have to roll up the sleeves and the legs."

"Who's Laney?" Kensi wanted to know as she pulled off her sweater and noticed that Deeks was staring. The fact that she was going to be wearing some other woman's wet suit bothered her, it obviously belonged to someone Deeks was close to and that's why it was in his vehicle. Was it a girlfriend of his? Was he seeing someone? It put a knot in her stomach, she shouldn't feel it- this jealousy. Deeks was her partner, nothing more. He couldn't be. No matter how much she wished for things to be different, they couldn't be. He was her partner, her best friend, and that just had to be enough. She stood in her jeans and yellow bikini top, hands on hips and an inquiring look upon her face, just because he was off limits didn't mean she didn't want to pry.

Deeks swallowed hard and tried to keep control of his body. She had attitude and the athletic body of a goddess, the yellow bikini played off the golden tones of her tanned flesh. He quickly turned away before she called him on staring at her and grabbed his own wet suit. "Delaney Bennett is a friend of mine from the old days. Remember when I told you Ray and a couple of friends came to see me after my mom died?"

"Yeah," Kensi nodded, despite the fact that she had been inebriated that night after the lost of Special Agent In Charge Holden Merlow, she hadn't forgotten Deeks's haunting words.

"Laney was one of them, along with her twin brother Jax." Deeks kicked off his sandals, pulled his wetsuit up over his legs and tucked his board shorts into the wetsuit. "Laney lives in New York now, Jax in Texas. Laney comes around whenever she feels like it, usually unannounced. She just breezes in and then goes out with the tide again."

"You're fond of her," Kensi said noting the wistfulness in his voice as she tugged off her jeans and started to replace them with the wetsuit.

"We grew up in the same neighbourhood." Deeks responded with a shrug. "She's like a little sister to me." He smiled at Kensi. "You remind me of her sometimes."

Kensi had Delaney's wetsuit up to her thighs. "Really? How so?"

Deeks worked his arms into the wet suit and grabbed the cord pulling the zipper up to the back of his neck, careful not to catch his hair, he really did need a trim. "You're both absolute forces of nature." Deeks shook his head with a smile. "Neither of you let anything stand in your way, never back down, never surrender kind of attitudes. Laney's has only gotten worse since she's been living in New York." He shrugged. "You both adapt well."

"When was the last time you seen her?" Kensi asked putting her arms in and rolling up the sleeves a bit.

"Two or three years now." Deeks grabbed the zipper that was riding low on Kensi's bottom. "The cord snapped on this, I've been meaning to get it fixed but no one's been nagging." He brushed Kensi's ponytail out of the way as he pulled up the zipper slowly covering the gentle curve of her spine. "There. All set." He said finally stepping back.

Kensi looked out toward the waves and let out a sigh. "Alright, lets do this."

He brought down both boards and they sat in the sand waxing the boards, Deeks taking her hand in his own to show her the proper technique. He caught the scent of whatever kind of shampoo it was she used. Coconut scented and it had him aching to get closer to her. But they were partners so he scooted a few inches away instead.

"I still can't believe you talked me into this." Kensi said as they made their way toward the water boards under their arms.

"You wanted to see me in a wetsuit," Deeks baited because that was what they did. They flirted, and the only thing physical in their relationship was Kensi throwing a punch to his arm. Which she did, it stung but he'd been expecting it. One of the main reasons he'd kept trying to get Kensi into coming to surf with him was to see her in a wetsuit. And she didn't disappoint.

Kensi was still a little miffed that she was out this early, stuck in some skin tight suit. Deeks had called it a 'partner-bonding-experience' she'd grudgingly agreed because he'd started clucking like a chicken and Sam and Callen had been watching to see what she would do. She couldn't have her team thinking she was chicken. Coming here with Deeks did have it's benefits, Deeks in a wetsuit for starters, the sand between her toes, the simple act of going to the ocean. She was lucky enough to live by it and yet, between work and reality television she never bothered.

She dipped her toes into the water and jumped back a few paces. "It's cold."

"It's the ocean," Deeks said as if a 'duh' punctuated the end he was already standing in it the water lapping at the back of his calves. "Of course it's cold. It's better to just... get in." He dropped his board into the water put his arms out and dropped down submerging himself completely. His head popped back up and his blue eyes found her brown ones. "Wakes you up," he said with a smile grabbing hold of his board and attaching the ankle strap.

Kensi let out a sigh and before she could talk herself out of it, she tossed the board into the water and ran into the icy waters before diving.

It was a sight that Deeks would imprint to memory, Kensi Blye clad in a wetsuit running into the ocean and diving in, sexy as hell. She came back up, and she pushed back her bangs, breathing quick a few times like she was reading herself to fire her gun. She rung out her ponytail of the excess water and walked back over looking like a goddess as she moved through the ocean coming to stand by Delaney's board. "So now what."

He smiled at her.

::

"I did it!" Kensi said the second she broke through the water. She rubbed the salt water from her eyes. "I did it! Did you see?"

Deeks was smiling proudly at her only a few inches away when she finally got her eyes clear. She looked at him. "I did see," he told her. And he had, finally, after nearly two hours she had stood on the board, and mastered a wave. It was small, an easy ride for him, but for her, it had been her first wave, her first rush with the ocean and he could see her high on it. "I've made an addict out of you, haven't I?"

She smiled widely. "Lets go again!"

::

"And I told him that he was wrong, and Pikachu is not the greatest Pokemon," Zachary had been recanting a school story to Sam for the better part of an hour. Young Zoe was running around screaming at the top of her lungs for no apparent reason. Michelle was rushing around with curlers in her hair shoving her blouse into her skirt and doing up the zipper in the back as she peered into the fridge. Zachary studied his mother for a moment. "Momma, you have thingers in your hair."

"I know honey," Michelle responded shifting milk out of the way searching the refrigerator.

Zoe came running into the room, arms above her head. "Boooo!" she screamed and then went running off down the hall again.

Sam rubbed his temples feeling a headache coming on as he stood by the toaster waiting impatiently. He'd manually popped the thing twice since it was taking so long, figuring it must be broken. The toaster popped, the bread was burnt. Sighing he threw the toast out. "Pop Tarts okay Zack?"

"The sprinkle kind?"

"Um..." Sam checked the cupboards. "Yeah," he showed his son the box. "This kind?"

"Yeah, they're awesome," Zachary informed Sam quite seriously. Sam unwrapped it and handed it to his son who slid one from the package and nibbled on it.

Zoe poked her head back in and walked up out of breath holding her hand out. "Me too!" Zachary sighed, but handed over the second Pop Tart to his younger sister. "T-ank Zack." She took a little bit and sat down on the floor eating the breakfast treat happily.

"We're out of bread, and milk, I need to pick up some zucchini," Michelle said taking out the chocolate milk and pouring two glasses. She looked to her two children. "Table you two."

Both children made their way to the table, Zoe climbing the chair and settling into place. "Milk!" She exclaimed happily as Michelle put the lidded milk in front of her daughter.

With both children finally quiet she made her way over to Sam pulling out hair curlers along the way. Her hair already was naturally curly but since being slept on she figured it needed some extra help. "You going to be okay with these little monsters?"

Sam nodded. "Of course." _With the help of some Ibuprofen and Sponge Bob_, he couldn't help but think.

She dumped the curlers on the counter and kissed him. "I like having you home again. Your parents are coming for dinner. You should invite Greg and his girlfriend." Michelle smiled widely saying it, she along with Sam's mother Eloise had been waiting a long time for Callen to 'find an nice girl.'

"Sure that's a good idea?" Sam asked. "You knowing... what you know."

Michelle nodded. "It doesn't change anything Sam. You're an agent, having a few more in the house won't harm. Besides Greg comes over all the time. Invite them." Her watch beeped. "I got to run." She grabbed her bag and Sam stopped her carefully extracting the last curler from her hair. She smiled over her shoulder and kissed him.

"Eww!" Zachary hid his eyes and Zoe a second later threw down her Pop Tart and mimicked her brother.

She kissed both of her children on the cheek and was gone.

::

"I should shower," Nell said blissfully laying on top of Callen's bare chest. "But my legs still feel like noodles." Everything in her body and mind was completely relaxed she tilted her head up to look at him. His eyes were closed, and he looked peaceful but she could feel his heart hammering in his chest against hers that had yet to calm down.

Callen felt her shift, and when she moved away from him he opened his eyes. She sat with her legs folded under, naked with a post-sex glow she beamed happily at him and he couldn't help the smile that came on his own face. He figured she'd be shyer, that she'd be one of those women who hid their bodies under covers after the act was done, but he'd been wrong. Nell seemed completely at ease in her own skin and after sex didn't rush off shower, or put on clothing, or hid under the blankets. Her confidence was incredibly sexy. He sat up and put a hand around her head kissing her softly, which was what had started their morning bout in the first place, but then the kisses had heated up, and then clothing disappeared, and hands explored... the entire thing got out of hand, but neither minded in the least.

She watched as he leaned back on his elbows, her eyes grazed over him. "I still haven't been able to figure out how we ended up together, but I've decided not to dwell on it." She said before she kissed her way up his torso and back to his lips. She smiled. "I want pancakes," Nell announced pushing back some of her short chocolate brown locks that were sticking up wildly. She sat back on the bed stretching her lithe body out. "With blueberries!" She was quite excited by the prospect. She jumped out of bed with a little dance. "Blueberry pancakes," she sang as she wiggled.

Callen was out of bed in an instant, his body curved around hers, his arms around her waist. "Shower first."

"Well, okay." Nell agreed finally but didn't stop her pancake dance.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm really quite honoured by the amazing response the first chapter received! Thank you to everyone who took the time to leave a comment, I really appreciate it. Thanks to those of you who added this story to their favourites and/or put it on their alert list. **

**Here is a nice long chapter :) **

::

The shower had taken a frisky turn and pancakes for breakfast became pancakes for lunch. Callen watched with interest as she moved swiftly through the kitchen gathering supplies. "Want to help?" Nell asked catching his gaze.

"I have no idea what you're doing," Callen responded walking around the partition to the breakfast bar where he'd been sitting and entered through the doorway. Callen could grill, he could microwave, and he could throw in a frozen pizza, he wasn't exactly a pancakes for breakfast kind of guy. "Figured in a kitchen this small, I'd likely be in your way."

She shook her head. "The more the merrier," she insisted as she started pouring ingredients into the bowl. She looked around and grabbed the whisk when the phone rang. "I'll get it," she said thrusting a whisk in his hand. "Stir," she ordered. She exited the kitchen and grabbed the landline in the livingroom. "Hello?"

"_Nell! Oh good, I haven't been able to get a hold of you in days!" _

That was because a case had needed to be shut and closed, they were on a timer before three bombs would simultaneously detonate. Three days straight where the agents and tech support had been kept going by coffee and energy drinks. Everyone had gotten back safe and sound and that was what had mattered. The last thing on her mind last night after getting back from the office was checking her answering machine. She and Callen had just shambled to bed and even Callen clocked out the second his head hit the pillow. "Sorry Mom," Nell responded. "I was really busy with work."

"_First they don't let you off for Christmas, now they have you working so much you don't have time to call back!"_

"Mom."

"_Oh we miss you, Honey."_

Nell slid into the comfort of her old worn couch and felt her lips curve up on one side. "I miss you guys too Mom, hows Dad?" Despite being adopted, she'd long ago given up the guilt of calling another set of parents Mom and Dad. It didn't mean she loved her biological ones any less, but they were gone. Susan and Alan Jones had adopted her at the age of six and she'd found a family there.

"_Oh he's good, working on his golf game with Jeremy." _Another one of the adopted children, Jeremy was five years older than Nell but they still stayed in touch. _"What have you been up to?" _Susan asked.

"Just work," Nell responded and turned to see Callen leaning against the wall with the bowl in his one arm, whisking away.

'How long do I do this for?' he mouthed.

She covered the mouthpiece with her hand. "That's fine, just leave it."

"_Who were you just talking to?" _Susan asked.

"Um... what?" Nell responded trying to buy time.

"_Oh!"_ Susan exclaimed happily. _"Do you have a man over?" _

"Mom!" Nell's voice came out higher than usual.

"_Ha! I knew it! How long has this been going on?" _

"Not long," Nell replied and she could feel the heat in her cheeks.

"_We have to meet him!"_ Susan decided quickly. _"What does he do?" _

"Um... I have to go. I'm going to be late for work."

"_Work again!"_ Susan tisked_. "Call me when you get a chance Hon. We miss you." _

"I miss you too Mom. Say hello to everyone for me."

"_I will, but you better call me back about this man friend of yours." _

Nell giggled. "I will, I will."

"_I love you Sweetheart." _

"Love you too Mom." Nell disconnected and as she always did after talking to her mom she felt homesick.

"Everything okay?" Callen asked noting the sudden sadness upon her face.

"Yeah," Nell replied. "I just miss home. I missed Thanksgiving and Christmas... I haven't been home in over six months." She shrugged. "I guess I'm homesick." She followed him back into the kitchen and ate one of the blueberries. "My mom asked about you and I didn't know what to tell her. She asked what you do..."

"Ah," Callen replied knowingly. He moved out of the way as Nell started to pour the batter onto the frying pan. "I'll need to be backstopped."

Nell snickered. "It's so ridiculous. I'm with you and to tell my family you need to be backstopped?"

"I should just use the same alias I use with Sam's family if you don't mind being with a guy from accounting, business, corporate."

"If you were in accounting at least you wouldn't be getting shot at."

"Oh you never know. I'd like to shoot my accountant some times."

She laughed. "I guess that would be easiest. What else do I need to know about this alias?"

"Gregory Callen," Callen said. "That way if anyone slips and calls me 'G' it's no big deal. Accountant, like I said. Besides that, kept it as close to me as possible, minus the getting shot at bit." He took one of the blueberries and popped it in his mouth. "And what do I need to know about your cover story?"

"Obviously, same name. TV editor." Nell said flipping the pancakes. "I'm an analyst, I don't need some elaborate backstop. Just something my parents will believe." She was quiet for a minute waiting for the other side to cook. "G... my parents, especially Mom, they're going to want to meet you."

Callen let out a breath. "I figured. I'll talk to Hetty, you said it's been a while since you've seen your folks, I've got some vacation days I haven't used." He shrugged. "We could do a weekend."

"Really!" Nell was so excited and rather surprised that Callen would suggest such a thing.

Callen nodded and pulled her into his arms. "If we're going to be doing... this." Since they had still not identified what it was they were doing in so many words they both tip-toed around words like... 'relationship'. "I figure meeting your parents is a step in the right direction, it's what normal..." he stopped, 'couples' was also on the avoid list and yet... wasn't that what they were?

Nell noticed the stop. "I like being with you, and you like being with me, and we share a bed and eat meals together... we are a... you know."

"You're avoiding the word too," Callen said tapping her nose.

"I'm no good in... r-words."

"Neither am I," Callen admitted.

"I'm not a very good g-word."

"I beg to differ."

Nell smiled. "So are we in a... um... you know?"

"I think we are."

"I think the word boyfriend is juvenile. It sounds like bragging. 'He's my boyfriend.'" Nell shrugged. "It sounds weird."

"I think it's the use of 'girl' or 'boy' in front of the word 'friend.'" Callen decided. "But saying we're bed buddies would be worse." Nell swatted him and pushed him out of the way so she could take the pancakes off the frying pan. She put them onto the plate and poured the remaining batter onto the hot pan. "So when my mom asks, I'm currently seeing Gregory Callen, accountant."

"And when Eloise asks, I'll tell her I finally found a nice girl." Nell raised an eyebrow which prompted Callen to explain. "Eloise Hanna, Sam's mom. She's been trying to set me up with a 'nice girl.'" He air quoted. "For years. Thinks it's odd for me to be living alone when I'm nearly forty... how are you going to explain that one to the parents?"

"What?" She inquired with one eyebrow raised.

"The very obvious age gap." Callen explained as he leaned back casually against the kitchen counter. "I'm going to get called a cradle-robber, I just know it." She swatted him and he laughed.

"It's only... fourteen years." Nell said.

Callen scoffed. "Only?"

"Only." She replied quickly. She grabbed both sides of his face and pulled him down to her level so she could kiss him. "I like being with you, your age does _not_ matter."

His phone started going off and he pulled back. "Hold that thought," he pulled his phone out of his jeans. "It's Sam." She nodded as he answered. "Hey Sam."

"_Hey, hows it going?" _

"Good." He went to tear off a piece of pancake but Nell hit him with the spatula.

"_My parents are coming over for dinner,"_ Sam said. _"Michelle said to invite you and your 'nice girl.'" _

"Ah."

"_Just do it and get it over with_,_"_ Sam advised. "_You know how Mitch can be, and you know how my mom gets. If you don't bring Nell with you and she'll be hounding me to hound you." _

"Got it. Seven?"

"_Like always,"_ Sam replied.

"We'll be there."

"_Alright, see you then." _

They both disconnected and Callen realized Nell was studying him. "Remember when I said I'd go meet your family." Nell nodded, her eyes narrowing quizzically at him. "Well tonight you're going to meet mine. That okay?"

"Sam's mom?"

"And Sam's dad. You already met Mitch right?"

"I was a little more worried about you at the time." Nell remembered the hospital Callen was the patient and she remembered just how much the case had hurt everyone involved. "Didn't do any female bonding, but I remember her. Tall, beautiful, really curly hair."

"And you'll be meeting Zack and Zoe, they're my god-children you know."

"I didn't," Nell replied but she could easily spot the pride in his eyes when he spoke of them. "I'd like to meet them. They're your family."

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her, languid and slow, his hand went for the pancakes but she pressed up against him her hands wandering and the food was forgotten, the pancakes on the frying pan burnt to a crisp.

::

"Hey... um...Eric?"

"Yeah Beth?" He replied kicking off his shoes since he'd just come into her apartment.

She giggled. "You got some paint in your hair. I'm sorry." She bit her tongue. "My bad." There was a paintbrush balanced on her ear held in place with her long blonde, braided hair. The paint had transferred when she kissed him out of habit when he came through the door. "It'll wash out, besides blue looks good on you."

He touched the paintbrush with his fingertip and then tapped her nose leaving a blue streak. "What do you know, it's your colour too."

She smirked at him. "Honey, you do not want to start that battle. I have a hundred and seventy six different acrylic tubes of paint in my arsenal." She glared playfully. "You are no match for me."

He shook his head with a smile at her playful behaviour, she was the lightest most open person he'd ever met. He felt so... normal with her. There was no Office of Special Projects, and there was no cases, and dangerous missions, no bullets flying. He decompressed here, with her. He put the bag of take-out on table in the living room. "Picked up Italian."

"Ohh, I know." She said hugging him from behind. "I smell garlic bread." She inhaled deeply and let out a blissful sigh.

"Doesn't take much to keep you happy."

"I'm like a goldfish," she said letting him go and walking around the table. "Easily maintained."

"So what are you working on?" He asked as they both sat down on beanbag chairs. Eric had the bright orange one, while Bethany curled gracefully into a black one that had paint splatters, likely from her jeans that were constantly sporting new colours. Her old and worn out blue shirt was dabbed in different colours, she was self-professed messy worker.

Her smile hid secrets. "Not telling, you have to wait until it's done to see."

"Okay..." Eric eyed her suspiciously but she opened the container with penne pasta and handed him one of the white plastic forks. "Going to be working on it long?" He asked stabbing one of the noodles.

"Depends," Bethany responded hunting through the bag until she found her beloved garlic bread. "Found you, you evil thigh devil."

"Excuse me?" Eric laughed, his eyebrows angled questioningly.

"Garlic bread, deceptively delicious... and goes straight to my thighs." She glared at the bread before taking a bite and letting out a little moan. "So good." Her face euphoric. "So bad." She glared at it again. She shook her head. "So why did you ask if I'll be working long. I could take a break for the right incentive." Her eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

"Why that would be awesome," Eric said following her drift. "There's this... thing on the beach later. I was... I was wondering if you would... want to go... with me." His stomach had twisted with nerves. They seen each other every once and a while, when his work schedule permitted it. She was always there with open doors and open arms... but they weren't anything official. They were just... together when it was convenient.

She smiled. "Yeah sure."

He smiled back and they ate the rest of the pasta.

::

Kensi gave a wave and Deeks hit the horn as he drove off. She'd had fun, a lot of fun. Surfing was difficult, and her entire body was aware of muscles that had been neglected. She ached all over, but the high of riding a wave was not one she'd forget soon. She even agreed to meet her partner at the beach again the next morning.

She unlocked the door and dropped her clothing she'd been wearing in the early morning. It had warmed up considerably and wearing the jeans and sweater didn't hold any allure. Her house was too hot, her skin and hair smelt like the ocean. She walked leisurely through her house taking her hair elastic carefully out of tangled hair.

_Food. Food. Food._ Her stomach grumbled angrily. Swimming always made her hungry. She stood in her still wet yellow bikini, she opened the fridge and stood there a minute cooling down, one of these days she'd get around to fixing the air conditioning. She pulled out a beer and popped the top. She took a swig and started opening cupboards. A bag of half eaten corn chips, a box of Chocolate Pop Tarts, Cheerios that when she popped a few into her mouth she realized were stale, and some bread that was growing mould. She sighed. "Day off and I get to go grocery shopping," she muttered to herself.

She untied the back of her bikini and it fell to the ground in her living room she didn't make an effort to clean it up, she'd get around to it in the afternoon. _Probably_. She pulled the strings on the side of her bikini bottoms and it fell just outside of the bathroom. She couldn't help but check her appearance in the mirror and felt a little self conscious. Her hair was a total wreck, no make-up. She bit her lip and pushed her hair back. She then felt silly, she'd only been with Deeks... but that was the problem. She'd been out with Deeks, looking like this. It was stupid to feel attracted to him, worse to want him to feel attracted to her, but she couldn't help it. He was her partner, he shouldn't be more and yet...

"Uh!" She bowed her head in defeat. No matter how she looked at things, she really liked Deeks- in ways a partner shouldn't.

Kensi turned on the water to the shower and stepped in, she was blasted with a second of cold before the hot water got up the pipe. She had a hard time getting all the tangles from her hair and decided she should put de-tangling shampoo on her list of things to get, especially if she was going to be surfing on a regular basis. That got her mind onto Deeks in a wetsuit, she tried not to think about it. She tried naming the states and their capitols to distract herself, but blond hair, blue eyed Detective Marty Deeks in a wetsuit was an image that defied distraction. She turned the water to cold and the jolt went down her spine but the shock erased the image, she quickly rinsed off and got out of the shower.

She towelled off and tossed the towel to the side of the tub and strode naked through her house. The blinds were all shut, she wasn't worried. In her room she dressed for the hot weather in dark denim shorts and a white tank top. She fussed with her hair and make-up till she deemed herself ready. She spent a good ten minutes looking for her keys, which she found in the kitchen and then put on a pair of runners and was out the door.

::

Grocery shopping. When you think- NCIS Special Agent, it likely doesn't come to mind at all.

For the most part, Kensi didn't really think about groceries either. She ordered in more often than not and only when she got really bothered and found her mind antagonising over something did she go all out and cook. Still, a girl needed Salsa for her half eaten bag of corn chips. She grabbed a cart and put her purse in the top part as she wheeled it through the super market.

She picked up what she needed. She grabbed salsa so she could finish off those chips, then decided that she might as well go all out and have nachos and grabbed a pound of ground beef. Moving around she grabbed some carrot sticks and decided they couldn't be eaten with out Ranch dressing so she picked up some of that too. She looked longingly at the banana chocolate chip muffins. She looked at the calories and decided they were worth the extra hour or so in the gym and tossed them in the cart. She raided the frozen food section, best foods didn't go bad and make her breadbox look like a science fair. She grabbed some instant coffee and milk since she was pretty sure hers was past expiry.

Directing the cart around the corner she bumped someone else's. "Sorry," she looked up with a grimace.

The man was around her age, taller by an inch or so, styled dark brown hair, a kind smile and dark brown eyes. "I think it was my fault," his voice was low and rumbled, a sexy kind of voice that Kensi immediately found appealing.

"I wasn't watching where I was going," Kensi said.

"Lost in space," he said pushing some of his hair back. "My bad." She laughed and he laughed with her. "So... what brings a pretty girl like you to a place like this?"

She smiled immediately realising she was being hit on. "Food," she responded with a nod. "Got to eat, you know."

"Yeah, well... since you have to eat, and I have to eat... how about I treat you to dinner. Don't want to do a hit and run." He smiled and it was infectious- kind of like Deeks's. She swallowed hard, maybe this was what she needed, a guy to distract her from her partner because that was what Deeks was. _Her partner_ and that meant he was **off limits**, put him on the highest shelf where she couldn't touch.

"I'm Kensi," she introduced herself, after all if she was ever going to find a nice guy she couldn't start it with lying about her name, especially when she'd have to lie about what she does, and where she's going.

"Ethan," he held out his hand and she shook it. "Can I pick you up at... say six?"

"How about I meet you there," Kensi was all to aware of her job at all times, heighten security- always. "It's just, sometimes I get pulled away, things just pop up with my job."

"What do you do?" Ethan asked.

"Journalist," Kensi replied the lie easily slipping from her tongue. "News never waits," she said with a calculated shrug and a friendly smile. "And you, what do you do Ethan?"

"Engineer," he said a little shyly. "I design roller coasters."

"Get out!" Kensi said excitedly. "Really?"

Ethan nodded. "Yeah."

"That is pretty cool," she said honestly. She looked into her cart where the Rocky Road ice cream was threatening to melt. "So... dinner?"

"Desert Rose?"

She bit her bottom lip, she knew the place, it was nice a little fancy and very expensive. "Yeah, okay, I'll meet you at the Desert Rose, six thirty?"

Ethan smiled. "Yeah, that sounds um, really good." She could tell he wasn't a player, he wasn't smooth enough but he was just a genuinely nice guy, cute how he seemed so nervous.

"I'll see you there then," she replied as she started pushing her cart, she turned and looked back. Ethan was smiling as he pushed his cart in the opposite direction.

She grabbed a box of tampons, glad she'd left this section for last, and a bottle of detangling shampoo and matching conditioner and headed to the checkout. This date was just what she needed. A night out with a guy she hardly knew, one that was handsome and nice, and didn't look a thing like Deeks, because she needed her mind off her partner.

::

Deeks opened the door to his side of the duplex and entered his home. Monty came running down the hall and slid out of control on the hardwood floors in his excitement. "Hey Monty!" Deeks greeted enthusiastically. "I went to the beach with Kensi."

Monty whined.

"Sorry buddy, I'll take you to the beach when I go for a run this afternoon, how does that sound?"

A happy wag of the tail was Monty's reply.

"Kensi rode her first wave," Deeks recanted the story to his beloved dog as he kicked off his sandals. "Should have seen her," he said as he strode into the kitchen. He grabbed a apple from a dish and rinsed it off under the sink. "She was really something. The strength she pushed up with, got on to her feet, she wavered a bit but she held on till the wave crashed down and then fell into the water." Deeks took a bit and chewed before swallowing. "She's gorgeous, ain't she Monty?"

Monty in response nuzzled his muzzle into Deeks's leg, his tail thumping against the floor.

Deeks bit a part of the apple and took it from his mouth offering it to the dog who chewed happily on it. Deeks continued replaying the morning over in his head as he ate the apple. She was his partner, and so he had simply explained it was a _'partner-bonding-experience_' and when that didn't quite fly he'd clucked like a chicken to convince her... or rather she agreed so Sam and Callen wouldn't think she was one. Maybe that was taking it a bit to far, but he wanted to spend more time with her, and he figured that was a good way to do it.

And it had been worth it just to see her in that wetsuit, and maybe even more than that, to see her face when she rode out her first wave. He smiled at the memory they had created. They were great partners, he considered her to be his best friend along with Ray. The problem was the sexual attraction to Kensi. She was his partner but if he had met her anywhere else but work he'd already have made some serious moves. Problem was she was his partner, they worked together, Sam and Callen were the toughest big brothers a girl could have and Deeks really didn't want to be on the receiving end of a beat down between those two.

And yet... he couldn't help but think they could be great together in a relationship too.

"Life is complicated old friend, " Deeks told Monty as he threw out the apple core. He filled up Monty's water and food dish and handed his canine companion a doggie treat. "I got to shower."

Walking toward the bathroom he seen his answering machine blinking. He hit the play button.

"_Hey man, hows it going?" _Ray's voice, Deeks smiled._ "I know, I'm not suppose to call you, but... whatever man, they aren't going to find out." _Deeks shook his head. _"I really just wanted to tell you that I'm a dad. It's official, like eleven months ago. Seriously, how was I suppose to keep quiet and not tell my brother this stuff?" _Deeks laughed. _"His name is Aaron." _Deeks froze, Aaron was his middle name he was more than honoured to hear Ray had named his son after him. The sound of Ray's laughter played through the speakers. _"Man, you should see this kid, he's getting big. I'd like him to meet you sometime, anyways I got to run... but call me back and let me know how your thing with Wikipedia is going!" _Deeks laughed.

The machine took over. _'End of New Messages. To replay the message, press 1.' _And to hear the sound of his best friends voice again and the story of his son, Deeks pressed 1.


	3. Chapter 3

**I can't believe the response this story has gotten, it's amazing! Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read, and review, I really appreciate the words of encouragement! **

::

Nell pulled two dresses out of her closet, she put one up against her body and studied her appearance in the full length mirror on her closet door. She then switched it for the other. She bit her lip, nerves getting the best of her. She could tell that meeting the Hanna's was as close to meeting Callen's parents as she was going to get. They meant a lot to him and she wanted to make a good impression.

She put the deep green dress in front of her body, it had inch wide straps and fell to just below her knees, she'd pair it with a cardigan... or... she switched and put the strapless floral dress she'd been to nervous to wear. She'd bought it because it was too pretty too leave behind, but it was loud, drew attention, something she usually avoided bringing to herself.

Callen came up in a pair of black slacks and a tucked in button down blue shirt. "This one," his hand went over hers keeping the floral dress up to her body. "Wear this one." He liked the colours, the playfulness of the dress, it matched her so perfectly.

"You think?" She asked tilting her head. She'd already styled her hair and done up her make up and was standing completely naked, after all which undergarment she would wear depended completely on the dress.

He nodded in response and kissed her neck making his way up to her earlobe and bit it softly. "If you don't hurry up and put some clothing on, we're going to be late."

She looked over at the digital alarm clock. "We still have an hour before we have to go. I have plenty of time to fuss." She looked over her shoulder at him and caught that look, that damn _look_ in his beautiful blue eyes. That look that he got right before he threw her on the bed. Not that she was opposed to that, but time restraints and all... "Understood." She said with a smile. "I'll put some clothing on."

"Good, I'm going to make some coffee, you want some?"

"Yes please." She smiled as he closed the door a bit behind him. He seemed so at home in her little apartment, and more than that, she felt he belonged. She loved the way he looked on her couch, or leaning against the counter in the kitchen, or sitting beside her at the breakfast bar, and especially in her bed. She felt strange on the rare nights she came home alone, half her bed empty, no one to share coffee with in the morning.

She fished around in her drawers until she found a strapless bra and a pair of matching panties, tiny little things in bright yellow. She stepped into the dress and pulled it up and held it at her chest, reaching around she grabbed the little zipper and got it up half way and then reached over her shoulder to try and pull it up. "Damn it," she muttered. She hated dress zippers, they were such an inconvenience. Leaving the room she found Callen leaning against the counter in her kitchen waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. "Can you do me up?" She asked.

He walked over and pulled the zipper up the rest of he way before placing a kiss on one of her freckled shoulders. He turned her around and he smiled. "You look beautiful."

She smiled a little shyly. "Thank you."

::

The ocean beckoned, the waves crashing against the shore in a primal beat. Eric had wished for once he had one of the amazingly cool cars the undercover agents got to drive when he was picking up Bethany. His white and green VW micro-bus was old, but it ran, and it was great for transporting his surfing gear. He shouldn't have been so worried though, Bethany had fallen in immediate love with the beast of a vehicle happily jumping into the passengers seat and bouncing slightly as she did up her seat belt. Now getting out of the vehicle at their destination, he was happy to have to old clunker.

"Classic," Bethany said rubbing the big VW sign on the front. "Seriously. I wish I had one, but it's hard to get parts for these old cars."

Eric shrugged. "I know some people." They walked toward the beach and he nervously took her hand happy she didn't pull away, in fact she moved in closer. "We're almost there." He told her.

The sound of guitars, and drums had joined in with the waves and in the distance a fire was being started ever so slowly. The closer they got the easier it got to see, the fire had gotten going lighting up a section of the beach, twenty or so people were sitting in the sand talking or playing music, some started singing.

"Eric!" A man came over and clapped the tech on the shoulder. "Wasn't sure if you were going to make it, mate."

"Nolan, this is Bethany, Beth, this is Nolan."

"Pleasure," Nolan said taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "Any friend of Eric's is a friend of mine, come on! Get settled! Have a beer!" He opened a ice chest and passed them each a Heineken and joined in singing the chorus of he song.

Eric sat down and Bethany sat between his legs leaning back against his chest. "This okay?" She asked looking over her shoulder at him with her crystal clear blue eyes. He swallowed hard and nodded and she smiled at him before settling in. The waves crashed in time with the music, the man next to them had fast hands beating out a rhythm on the drum in his lap, the guitarist to their left trying to keep up. A couple of girls got up and started spinning with the music, dancing, their feet kicking up sand as they swirled with grace.

Eric got passed a guitar and Bethany moved away from him so he could hold it properly. "You play?" She asked surprised.

"Not much, and not well," Eric replied.

"Modesty is no good here!" Nolan cried out and knelt down by Bethany. "He's very good, can play the hell out of the Eagles."

"_Really_?" She drew out the word longer than necessary. Nolan grabbed a drum and put it in her lap. "Oh I can't play," she tried to push it back.

"Rhythm," Nolan insisted. "Listen to the ocean, follow your heartbeat, everyone can beat a drum, go on! It'll be fun!"

Eric played a few chords and Bethany nervously hit the drum. "It won't bite Beth," Nolan insisted. Sparks flew from the fire as someone poked at it. She hit it in a few different spots testing the different sounds the small drum was capable of before beating away at it with both hands in a quick little 1-2 beat. Eric matched his guitar to it, and she hit it faster, he played faster, she slowed, he slowed. She smiled at him and he smiled back. "See!" Nolan said. "You're a natural!"

Other drums started beating with hers and other guitars started playing with Eric, Bethany's laughter rang clear with joy. Eric couldn't help but think of himself as lucky that he got to spend time in her light.

::

"Zoe," Sam crept through the house silently. "Zoe?" He called out again listening for any signs of the young child.

"I can't find her anywhere Dad," Zachary was dressed up in a slightly formal pair of black pants and a white collared shirt, the outfit had been a gift from Eloise so Sam figured his son better get some use out of it. "She's going to be a champ at hide-n-go-seek."

"She was screaming this morning and now she's too quiet," Sam was getting worried, the only time Zoe was this quiet was when she was sleeping. He checked her room and found that, that was the case. Zoe was in a oversized children's duck towel from her bath and had snuggled down on top of the giant over stuffed panda that Callen had bought the day she was born. She moved in her sleep shoving back some of her wet hair and made a big 'O' of a yawn. "Hey baby girl," Sam said picking her up slowly. "I know you missed your nap time," he said when her big brown eyes opened and stared disbelievingly at him. "But Grandma and Grandpa are coming. So is Uncle G and his lady friend Nell, so you have to be dressed."

Zachary hopped up into the rocking chair his eyes glued to his Nintendo DS and Sam set Zoe down on her princess castle bed. Sam looked through the array of outfits, his children were nothing if not spoiled, he blamed his mother for most of it. He grabbed a white dress and shook his head, the kid would have it dirty in a second, he put it back and shuffled through the clothing racks until he found a deep purple dress. At least it would hid some of the stains she'd surely have on it by the end of the afternoon.

Zoe had clocked back out on her bed but Sam moved her and she sat up crankily. "Sleep Daddy."

"Sorry sweetheart, but you have to get dressed before everyone gets here."

"No."

"Yes Zoe."

"No!" Her hands in little fists and her lip started quivering.

"Zoe, don't."

The lip quiver intensified and tears built up in her eyes.

"Look Zoe!" Zachary said showing her his game. "I caught a Dragonite!" With the little girls attention drawn elsewhere Sam quickly took off the duck towel, got her in underpants and nylons before pulling the dress over her head and getting her arms through the holes.

Sam turned to his son. "Thanks Zack."

"She likes Pokemon," Zachary said sitting on the bed beside his sister showing her the game.

Sam got up and grabbed a hair brush. He approached with stealth, Zoe was not a fan of the hairbrush. Her hair was as curly as her mothers creating a little halo of dark hair around her face that knotted terribly. He started to pull the brush through carefully but Zoe's full attention had changed from the game to Sam. "No Dad, not brushing, brushing hurts!"

"You have to have your hair brushed, I'll be careful."

Zoe pouted but Zachary got her attention again with the game and Sam made quick work of her hair. Grabbing a matching purple bow from her various collection of hair pieces and put it in on one side.

He picked her up and she rested her head against his shoulder, her hair smelling of the no-tears strawberry shampoo. Zachary followed Sam down the hall quietly engrossed in his game. "Babe, can you watch this so I can get dressed?" Michelle asked shutting the oven again, but the scent of lasagna still filled the house.

"Yeah, sure." Sam replied putting Zoe in the swing she was getting too big for. It seemed like only yesterday she fit in one arm, her little hand hardly able to get around his finger. She dosed off again in the chair breathing softly. He leaned against the counter stealing a crouton from the salad thinking about how great it was to be home, to be working things out with Michelle, to get to spend more time with his children. Rather paranoid, he checked on the lasagna even though Michelle had stuck her head in only a minute ago, the last thing he wanted was burnt lasagna. Michelle would never let him hear the end of it, neither would his mother, or Callen.

There was a couple of quick knocks, but the door opened before Sam could move or say anything. He peered down the hall. "Hey, you two are early."

"Early bird gets the worm," Paul Hanna responded cheerfully. "Or the lasagna in this case." He took his wife's coat and hung it on a peg on the wall.

"I wanted to be earlier," Eloise said coming down the hall.

"Grandma!" Zachary ran over and gave her a hug.

"Hello there Zack, my how big you've gotten!" She let go and gave her son a hug while Zachary ran to his grandfather. "Sam, it's good to have the family all together again. A nice sit down meal. Aren't you suppose to be watching the meal?" She moved around him and checked the oven.

"Samuel."

"Dad." The two men embraced quickly with hard pats on the back. "How have you been."

"Your mother is driving me nuts," he said loudly. Eloise shot him a dirty look and Paul grinned. "Old bird is talking about taking a cruise."

"Oh wouldn't that be lovely," Michelle said coming in wearing a short sleeved sheath black dress that stopped just above her knees. She fidgeted until she managed to get her second silver hoop in her ear. She then opened her arms and gave Paul a hug. "Long time, no see."

"See, Mitch thinks the cruise is a good idea," Eloise said and ended up on the receiving end of a hug from the woman. "Oh you smell lovely," the two women got caught up in a conversation about perfume until a knock on the door.

"Oh, that must be Gregory," Michelle said standing quickly taking Eloise's hand. "He's brought over a girl," she sing-songed temptingly.

"Go easy on him," Sam called as he and Paul finished up setting the large table.

::

Callen's hand was on the small of her back guiding her along, otherwise Nell didn't think she'd be moving. "I'm nervous," she admitted looking over at him as they walked down the stone walkway that parted the lush lawn. Sam lived in a nice little neighbourhood, with an old styled big home and two door garage. "Is my hair okay?"

"Your hair is wonderful," Callen insisted leading her up the stairs.

"Are you sure this dress is okay?" Nell asked worriedly looking down at herself. The strapless floral dress fell just above her knees and she adjusted the top of. She felt as if way too much skin was showing. "It's not to late to drive back. I could change. Or at least let me grab my cardigan from the car."

"You're fine Nell," Callen insisted putting his arm over her shoulder as if to keep her from running and with his other hand he knocked three times on the door. He kissed her cheek and she smiled looking a little less nervous and had some colour coming back to her cheeks. He was still staring at her when the door opened. "Hope we aren't late," he said looking over to her.

"Right on time," Michelle said standing back. "Come on in you two."

Nell got off her bright yellow flats and he got off his black leather shoes and Michelle lead them down the hallway. "Gregory," Eloise said immediately pulling him down for a hug. "She's cute," she whispered.

"I know," Callen responded cheekily.

Eloise stood back and studied his face a moment. "You going to introduce us or what?"

"Sorry," Callen said putting his arm around Nell and he could feel the tension in her shoulders. "Eloise, Paul, Michelle, and Zack, this is Nell Jones. Nell; Ellie, Paul, Mitch, Zack." He pointed as he went through the names. "And... where is my little girl?"

"Behind you," Sam told him and Callen turned.

Nell couldn't help the smile on her face when Callen saw the little girl sleeping in her swing. The small child opened her eyes and looked a bit surprised by all the new faces in the room but she smiled and pushed her way out of the chair and stumbled over sleepily and Callen bent down to greet her. Callen picked her up. "Nell, Zoe. Zoe, this is Nell."

"Hi," Zoe said with a wave.

"Hi," Nell responded, waving back.

Zoe's attention went back to Callen and she rubbed his face. "Gone."

"I shaved," Callen replied knowing the girl was referring to the seemingly permanent five-o'clock shadow.

The little girls eyebrows drew close in suspicion as she rubbed her hand along his jaw. "Soft."

"Thanks, I think," Callen responded setting her up in her booster seat.

"So Nell, how did you two meet?" Eloise asked patting a seat as everyone started sitting down. Nell finding no other option sat down beside Sam's mother and Callen sat on her other side.

They had gone over their cover story on the way over but her nerves were getting the best of her. "We, um... we work in the same area." Nell said. "We got coffee at the same place for months..." She felt silly being so nervous. She could take down people with her quick wit and intelligence, she could make people feel entirely ignorant or stupid if she felt the need. This was Sam's family, the closest thing to a family Callen seemed to have, and she really didn't want to screw it up. She smiled as she started to tell the big fib. "I may have spilt some coffee on his newspaper, accidentally-on-purpose."

"Ah, the truth comes out," Callen said with a grin and she looks to him and they get a little caught up in each other.

"So I offer to buy him a new one." She explained to Eloise, and whoever else was curious but her eyes never left the safety of his.

"I tell her she must have tripped over my briefcase." He smiled at her.

"Which was safely under the table and not a problem," Nell said with a grin as they added in the details.

"But I insist that, that must have been it so I can offer to buy her another coffee." His hand caressed her knee under the table.

"And then we started taking our lunches at the same time." Her hand covering his, her thumb rubbing against it.

"And meeting at the same place."

"And then there were dinners."

"And then we aren't talking about the rest," Callen said cheekily. "You'll start to gossip," he said looking around Nell to smirk at Eloise.

"Wise-ass!" Eloise declared.

Michelle knew it wasn't the real story, and it saddened her. Their lives would always be like this, a new lie every day, she looked over at Sam who was smiling, his eyes finding hers. A timer dinged and she jumped out of her seat. "Dinner is ready!"

"Need help with anything dear?" Eloise asked.

"Nope, got it all under control," Michelle insisted taking the lasagna out of the oven. "Sam can-'

"I got the wine," Sam said knowingly, he stood so close she jumped having not heard his approach. His hand moved down her waist and settled on her hip. "Sure you got that?"

She let out a sigh of a breath, but wielded a knife and shook it. "Under control," she insisted cutting the lasagna and garlic bread into slices.

The cork popped as Sam got it out of the wine bottle and went around the table filling glasses. He filled Nell's. "Coffee huh?"

"Shut up Sam," she responded with a cheeky grin as she took back the glass.

As Sam filled Eloise's glass the older woman turned to Nell. "You know, you're the first girl Gregory has brought over."

"Really?" Nell replied.

"Yes. I've tried to play matchmaker with every available girl in the area, none stuck."

"He can be difficult," she said shooting Callen a playful glare.

"I'm sitting right here," Callen grumbled. "Hey, Sam, leave the wine with me, by the sounds of it, I'm going to need it."

Sam laughed and shook his head.

Michelle placed the meal in the centre of the table she and Sam still standing, he put an arm around her and she smiled lovingly up at him before turning back and addressing the table. "To family," she said raising her wine glass she smiled knowingly at Nell. "And welcome to it. Salud."

Nell blushed a bit but hers and Michelle's glasses were the first to clink and then everyone's were hitting against, repeating the 'to your health' toast. Zoe got her plastic sippy cup into the mix and clinks became clunks with the little girl.

Feeling incredibly accepted Nell calmed down a bit and leaned her head against Callen's shoulder and she felt him kiss the top of her head. She'd never felt more loved.


	4. Chapter 4

**A nice plump chapter after the weekend, enjoy!**

::

"It's no big deal." Kensi told herself as she applied eyeliner. "It's a date." She threw the sliver liquid eyeliner back into the drawer with the rest of her makeup and grabbed her mascara her mouth open in a slight 'o' as she masterfully worked the wand on her lashes. "One date." She finished up and put the mascara away and closed the drawer with a little hip-check. "A nice, normal guy who creates roller coasters." She adjusted the simple dangle of her silver earings. "It will be interesting. You're the best first date girl in town," she told herself and then sighed. "But the worst second date." She shook her head, this was suppose to be a pep talk! "You're hot, you're young, you're single and you're allowed to go out with a normal guy! You're going to be funny, flirty, charming, tasteful and spontaneous! You're going with you're A-game!" She adjusted the midnight blue sheath dress and then walked out of the bathroom.

"Shoes," she said to herself opening her closet and rummaging through them trying to find her suede pumps. "Shit. Where are they?" She looked under her bed. She tossed aside couch cushions. She looked in her freezer. Under the coffee table. Inside of boxes. Finally found one of them under a mountain of dirty clothing. She rummaged through her drawers. Looked under her bed again just to be sure. Found the second one under the small kitchen table. She popped them on and locked up.

::

Traffic had been light, which was good because she would have been late after her shoe hunt. She pressed the lock and alarm activation on her key chain for her car and it beeped and flashed it's lights at her. She took it as her car giving her encouragement, she kept her pep-talk in mind and treated the date like she would a mission. She was an agent, she embraced her skill-set.

She waited out front for less than a minute when she seen Ethan walking over. "Kensi, good to see you." He gave her a quick once over and his eyes went back respectfully to her face as he spoke. "You look beautiful."

There was something about the word 'beautiful' that always took her breath away a little. She wasn't fazed by being called 'pretty' it was nearly insulting, 'pretty' was a six year old girl. She didn't care to be called 'hot' sure it was nice to be eye-candy but that was all 'hot' said. 'Beautiful' on the other hand, it spoke of something deeper, the whole package, not just the outside, it was respectful and a word used with more care.

She smiled. "Thank you."

His hand went to the small of her back as he lead her to the entrance of the Desert Rose and held the door open for her.

The hostess smiled as they walked in. "Hello, welcome to the Desert Rose." She looked at Ethan for a minute. "Ethan," she smiled recognisation dawning on her face. "Good to see you." She looked down at her books. "Good, you were smart and got a reservation, we're crammed tonight. Carlos is in the back cooking, but I'll let him know you're here."

"Thanks Tina."

Tina grabbed two menus. "Right this way."

The table was lovely, out on the terrace, a trio of unscented tea light candles glowed in the centre. Ethan pulled the chair out for her and she couldn't help the smile upon her face. She lived in LA after all, there weren't a lot of guys acting like perfect gentlemen these days. He sat across from her and Tina put down the menu's. "Lila will be looking after the two of you tonight, she'll be here shortly."

"Thank you." Ethan said as Tina walked away, and then his attention was back on Kensi. "You want to get some wine?"

She shook her head. "I'm driving, I really shouldn't."

"Responsible of you," Ethan said. "One glass wouldn't hurt, and we can stick around a while make sure it wears off."

"One glass," Kensi agreed with a little smile. "So I take it you come here often," Kensi said and when Ethan looked a little confused she continued. "You're on a first name basis with the hostess."

"Oh," Ethan nodded. "Carlos, the head chef here is an old friend. We go way back. Our family's have been close for generations."

"Ah," Kensi nodded as if knowledgeable about close families.

"Good afternoon, I'm Lila, and I'll be your server tonight." The woman was likely in her mid-thirties and dressed in all black like all the other servers Kensi had seen. "Can I start you off with some drinks?"

"Give them the finest wine," a voice interrupted. "Ethan!"

"Hey Carl," Ethan shot his old friend a smile. "You paying?"

"Not a chance, but you got a girl that sexy sitting across from you, you better go all out."

"Carl," Ethan's voice a warning and the chef threw both of his hands in the air.

"Don't bother paying less for the wine, go all out, the wine is fine indeed," Carlos insisted. "And I recommend the fresh Atlantic salmon."

"We'll take that into consideration," Ethan said and made a shooing motion with his hand. Carlos shook his head and stalked off. "Sorry about that." Ethan apologised.

"Wine?" Lila asked looking confused.

"Whatever Carlos recommends," Ethan said. "He _does_ know wine." He said almost begrudgingly.

"Coming right up," Lila said strutting away, taking empty glasses from another table.

"Find anything that peeks your interest?" Ethan asked Kensi with a smile. "I hate to say the Atlantic Salmon is my favourite here, I feel like ordering something else just to spite Carl."

"You two seem close." Kensi said softly.

"Like brothers," Ethan replied. "You have any? Siblings I mean."

"Only child," Kensi responded but her mind went to her extended family, to Sam and to Callen who she knew would defend her like pissed off big brothers if given a reason. "You? Siblings?"

"Two half sisters, both younger. My father died when I was pretty young." Ethan explained. "My mom remarried when I was eight."

"Close with them?" She asked as her eyes drifted over the menu, she turned them back to him. "Your sisters?"

"Sally went to study in New Zealand, married and never looked back- we were close as siblings nine years apart can be, but we fell out of touch when she moved. Constance and I still have lunch together with Mom and her dad every other Sunday."

She smiled. "Sounds nice."

"You close with your family?"

Kensi bit her lip hard and let out a breath quietly so it didn't seem like she was sighing, despite the fact she felt as if she were. "My dad died when I was fifteen, I was a total daddy's girl." She bit her lip. "I don't see my mom anymore."

"I'm sorry." Ethan said, and there was such honesty and compassion in his eyes she felt herself leaning forward.

Lila came back with the two glasses of wine. "Ready to order, or do you two still need a minute?"

Both ordered quickly their entrees and Carlos ordered them the Hummus with Pita Bread to keep them from starving since the place was packed to capacity.

She flirted, she was wined and dined. She chatted idly, she laughed at his jokes and he laughed along with hers and at the end of the night they shared desert and she couldn't help but think how great the date was going. And yet... there was still that thought in the back of her head... the one that kept reminding her of her 'thing' with her partner.

He paid, he tipped generously, he said goodbye to Tina, he walked her to her car and she couldn't help but feel she was the problem, not him. He was a genuinely great guy. She'd been searching all over LA for one for years, now she found one and... he was good looking, strong lines and gentle smile, well dressed, a gentleman. For Gods sake he opened doors, pulled back chairs, bought desert with out even asking or making it weird. She'd had a good time, why the hell was she thinking of a man she couldn't have a relationship with?

"I had a good time tonight," he told her as she unlocked her SRX.

"Me too," she said truthfully.

He bit his lip for a second. "I was hoping I could get to see you again."

She smiled and took a step forward invading his personal space. She pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and added her name and number to his contacts. She turned it to show him. "Call me."

His smile went from small and timid to a wide beam. "I will."

She giggled and took a step back. His hand caught her arm and she fought off her basic training and simply turned back to him, after all there was no intent to harm in his touch.

His lips captured hers and she was stunned for a second before she melted into it, he was a fine kisser and she could taste the creme brulee they had shared still on his lips. His hand was like fire on her skin as he cupped her chin and she leaned in, her hands flattening against his abdomen.

He took a step back at the sound of a wolf whistle. He flipped the bird in the direction of the restaurant with out looking back. She grinned seeing Carlos on the terrace and she waved, then decided to give him something worth whistling about as she reached up, both arms going around Ethan's neck and pulling him down for a longer, slow, steamy kiss. When she pulled back Carlos's jaw had dropped and Ethan was blushing a little bit. _Cute_, she thought.

"So um..." he was flustered and she waited with a sly smile. "I'll call you."

"Good night Ethan." She gave a little wave from inside of her car and he waved back as she drove off.

::

"Ge-la-to," Deeks annunciated happily as he dropped his butt into the sand. Monty whined but Deeks had thought the entire thing through having bought a little container of vanilla for his canine friend. He sat it down and Monty lapped at it happily, stopping after a few seconds apparently with brain freeze. "Got to slow down buddy!" Deeks told him wisely as he used the tiny spoon for his own caramel gelato.

The waves were gentle and quiet. The cool breeze was a welcome relief after the jog Deeks and Monty had just completed. He watched as a couple of young, fine looking, female joggers went by. He smiled happily and looked to Monty. "Damn, I love LA."

He stood finishing off his gelato and picked up Monty's empty cup. The dog trotted happily beside Deeks. "So what do you say, old friend. How about we throw in Die Hard, grab some popcorn and call it a night."

Monty wagged his tail.

"I thought it was a good plan too," Deeks said as they made their way down the street. A few walkers stopped to talk and pet Monty, people were always more friendly when you had a dog. Deeks stopped at a convenience store a block away for some Cheetos and they made their way back into the duplex they called home. He tossed his keys on the counter in the kitchen and made his way back into the living room where Monty had already curled up on the couch, tuckered out from the jog. "You going to make me watch Die Hard alone, aren't you?" Deeks asked but he grabbed the phone, and before he could regret it he grabbed the paper where he had jotted down the number and dialled the phone.

"_Hello?"_ A gruff voice answered.

"You sleeping?" Deeks asked.

"_Shit, Marty!"_ Ray's voice became enthusiastic. _"How you been?" _

"Good, good, same old, you know."

"_Psht, with you the same old is some crazy action shit." _

"Yeah, same old crazy action shit." Deeks responded with a laugh as he sat down on the arm of his sofa. "So... your son is named Aaron."

"_Thought you'd like that," _Ray said and Deeks could hear the smile in his voice. _"Jenna tried for names from the baby books you know, shitty names, all I could think is Aaron would be way better, took me up until the day he was born but I finally convinced her." _

"Hopefully he takes after Jenna," Deeks said. "If he takes after either of us, you're in trouble."

"_Yeah, I'm hoping he ain't a chip off the ol' block, you know. Our block was kind of crappy, and we were kind of scrappy, and I got a juvie record a mile long... so how is your thing with that smokin' hot, tall, leggy, brunette going?" _

"We're partners Ray," Deeks replied. "Just partners, there is no 'thing.'"

"_Bull shit," _Ray responded.

"Seriously, we're partners."

"_You keep tellin' yourself that, maybe one day you'll believe it." _

"Whatever man, you good?"

"_Yeah, I'm doing great, you?" _

"I'm good." Deeks responded. "I should go, I shouldn't even have called you in the first place, you shouldn't have called me either."

"_Caution to the wind, old friend. Never shoot back" _

Deeks nodded. "Always shoot first."

The line disconnected and Deeks let out a sigh, he really missed Ray. He grabbed Die Hard from the shelf and put it in the player but turned to find Monty had already fell asleep. "Great Sunday," he muttered to himself as he flopped down on the couch and watched the previews.

::

Kensi's alarm scared the bejesus out of her in the morning. She sat up, the gun from under her pillow in hand, safety switched off and a bullet in chamber in less than a second. When she realized that what woke her was her alarm set for five she had a passing thought about shooting it.

Sighing she put the safety back on and turned off her alarm clock. _Why did I agree to this?_ She thought bitterly as she pushed back the warm cocoon of blankets. Her feet touched the hardwood floor, it was cold and made her run to the bathroom. She quickly put her hair up, and put on a plain black one piece swimsuit, a pair of jeans that had been sticking out of her overstuffed drawers and a shirt that she was pretty sure was clean.

She shuffled out in flip flops and then retreated back into the house for a sweater, it was a chilly morning and she could only imagine how cooler the waters would be. Yawning she got into the SRX drove to the nearest coffee shop with a drive-through window. She got two coffee's, one for herself and one for Deeks, a twelve pack of donuts since it was her turn to buy; two jam filled powdered ones for herself, honey crullers for Deeks, apple fritters for Sam, the blueberry kind for Nell, old fashioned plain for Eric and the rest a mix. Callen didn't discriminate against donuts and the rest were usually eaten by random agents who walked in to get coffee. At last minute ordered an espresso for herself to top it all off. She waited and yawned as she adjusted her large sunglasses. She thanked the server and paid in cash before driving off.

Kensi parked next to Deeks's jeep, he had already took the surfboards off the rack and were leaning against the front of his vehicle. "Morning," she greeted getting out, the sun was just rising over the ocean painting the sky in pinks and oranges.

"Good morning," Deeks replied in a too cheery for so early voice. "I heard the swells are going to be a little more challenging today," he warned.

She shot him a glare. "I can handle it," because she found by giving a warning was to say that she couldn't.

"It was just a heads up Kens," Deeks said putting his hands up in defence. "No need to bite my head off." He tucked into his vehicle and threw her a wet suit. She grabbed it and tossed it to the top of her car as she stripped out of her jeans, sweater and t-shirt. She didn't bother with small talk, just grabbed the wetsuit and pulled it up. She froze and looked up at her partner who was grinning. "I guessed." He said. She pulled her arms in, neither the legs nor arms were too long, she grabbed the cord and pulled it up over her shoulder, the wetsuit was a perfect fit and clung to her like a second skin, there was a tag on the sleeve and Deeks stepped into her personal space smelling wonderful; he was wearing his typical cologne, she still hadn't been able to figure out what brand but the notes of cinnamon, pachouli, and sandalwood, kind of scents that made her want to get even closer and befuddled her brain. He grabbed the tag and gave it a pull. "Perfect fit, no need to return," he explained.

Her mind snapped out of it. "You can't just... buy me a wetsuit, these things got to cost a fortune!"

"It's a gift, so... yes I can," Deeks said as he pulled his t-shirt over his head and started to pull his own wetsuit on.

"Deeks, let me pay you back for it."

"Dinner."

"What?"

"Got water in your ears?" He asked grinning at her. He pulled the cord careful at the top not to pinch his hair, next weekend he'd see the barber... probably. "Dinner tonight, on you."

She rolled her eyes and knew that buying dinner wouldn't even make her close to even. Still deep down she was a little happy he'd got her, her own wetsuit, though it did make her wonder how the hell he knew her size. "Fine," she agreed. "Dinner."

"Good," Deeks replied as he checked his waterproof watch. "Come on, we better get in if we want to shower and get to work on time."

::

Callen sat down across from Hetty who was ripping a new one into someone, it was something Callen always enjoyed watching. Hetty was small, but absolutely vicious when need be. She hung up the phone with a slam and then took a moment to compose herself. She took a sip of tea and from the scent Callen figured it to be lavender. She set down her tea cup and finally looked at him. "What can I do for you Mr Callen?"

"I've been thinking about using some of my vacation days."

Hetty's eyebrows jumped up a bit in surprise. He didn't blame her, Callen hadn't used vacation days since he'd started with NCIS, they'd always just ended up expiring at the end of the year. The longest he'd been off was sick leave when he'd been shot, and he'd even come back a month early.

"How many?" Hetty asked.

"Two," Callen replied since he only worked weekends when he was called in and technically if they went for a long weekend those days wouldn't count. "Long weekend."

"May I ask as to why?" Hetty asked curiously. Callen squirmed in his seat and he could see comprehension dawning upon their tiny leader. "Ah, going to meet the family are you?"

He nodded. "Nell will be around sometime to ask for the same days off."

Hetty logged into her computer and accessed the calendars. "In two weeks time there are some days free."

"That soon?" Callen looked a little surprised.

"Is this a problem? I thought you wanted to go."

"I do..." Callen let out a sigh. "I just thought I'd..." He shrugged. "Never mind."

"I'd say talk to Nate, but he's gone back on assignment," Hetty said a little sadly.

"It's fine, I just... haven't had to do the entire meet the parents thing in a long time."

Hetty nodded. "I'll book yours as well as Miss Jones's time off now. You're good to go in two weeks."

Callen nodded in thanks just before he heard Eric's whistle and then he was on his way to the OPS Centre.

::

The case the team had been working on had gone from bad to worse. And then from worse to catastrophic. There was nothing any agent hated worse than a bio-threat. Anthrax was not something any of the agents were willing to be relaxed about, which is why the four field agents after having been possibly exposed were in quarantine after having all been stripped down, showered off and re-dressed in clean clothing. They were each in the four corners of the room so if one was infected it would be less likely to pass it on to one of the others.

"This sucks," Deeks said finally. "Seriously blows. LAPD doesn't backstop very well, and leaves you in the lurch with out back up, and has plenty of corrupt cops and terrible coffee but you know what? In all my years I've never had to deal with Anthrax." Deeks was laying back on one of the beds, hands behind his head lounging. "Anthrax is a bitch."

"Welcome to the glamourous life of an agent," Kensi said from her bed on the opposite side of the room. "Since I've been working for NCIS this is my third time in quarantine."

"Really!" Deeks sat up in bed quickly. He turned to Sam who was parallel with Deeks and Callen who was diagonally across the room. "What about you two?"

"Fourth," Sam said.

"Seventh," Callen said with a sigh. "Let me tell you, they don't get better with time Deeks."

"Great," Deeks muttered sarcastically.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," Sam said looking over at Kensi. "How did your date go?" He had known the moment she'd walked in to the bullpen that she'd been on a date, knowing the woman for years he just... knew. They'd started talking about it right before Eric had whistled and now hours later they were stuck in quarantine they might as well talk about it now.

"Good," Kensi said avoiding eye contact.

"You had a date?" Deeks was inquisitive as he looked over at his partner. "Where did you meet his guy... or girl, I wouldn't judge."

She rolled her eyes and thought about throwing her pillow at him, but was afraid of potential contaminates. "The grocery store."

"For real?"

"Yes! What is wrong with meeting someone at a grocery store Deeks?" She shot up in her bed. "You know what, Ethan was a perfect gentleman and a fantastic date, he was sweet and charming and-"

"He bought desert."

"Uhk!" Kensi flopped back down against the pillow. "You're insufferable! How much longer are we going to be here?" She asked looking over at Callen who'd begged for a watch.

Callen looked down at the watch and smiled at Kensi. "You might just want to take a nap, we're going to be staying here a while."

They were all quiet for a while, each lost in their own thoughts- dark scary thoughts because that was what Anthrax did to you, made you think the worse. Of course, since Deeks was with them they couldn't have expected the silence to last.

"I got an idea," Deeks said sitting up and fluffing his pillow. "A game of Never Have I Ever."

"Really Deeks?" Kensi shot him a dirty look.

"Think of it as a team building exercise, and besides it's not like we could play poker or Monopoly. The only other game I can think of where we don't move is Simon Says and..." He looked around the boring plastic room they were in. "That wouldn't take long. Come on guys, it's better than us all thinking there is some deadly infection inside of us. I keep thinking about casket sprays and it's getting disturbing."

Kensi took pity on her partner, and by the looks of the older agents they did too. First quarantine was the worst. "Aren't you suppose to play it with shots?"

"Oh..." was his quiet response. "Well it's just something to pass the time anyways. We could just raise our hands when we have done it."

"I guess," Kensi looked over at Callen who shrugged and Sam who after a moment nodded. She looked to Deeks. "Your idea, you start."

Deeks adjusted the pillow against the back and sat against it as he thought. "Never have I ever been skydiving."

Callen raised his hand which got him a questioning look from his partner. "Really?"

"Once. It wasn't recreational so much as the plane was going down... long story during my time with the CIA. Hopefully I'll never have to do it again."

They all looked to Sam since they were going clockwise. "Never have I ever..." he smiled at Callen. "Been to a gay bar."

"I hate you," Callen said raising his hand.

Deeks laughed. "Explain."

"It was an undercover op, Sam was on the injured list so he got out of it. Hetty sent me with Renko." Kensi was in a fit of giggles and Deeks wasn't much better off. Callen glared at Sam again. "I'll get you back for that." And since it was now Callen's turn he sat very quietly thinking of a good one. "Never have I ever...ran across a street, _naked_."

Sam sighed and raised his hand, the younger partners laughing.

"You have to tell the story, Sam," Kensi insisted.

"Long story short we were on mission in Turkey and while Callen was out getting intel I took a shower... and got caught by three gunmen in the shower, they were trying to take me out, I got away but I couldn't exactly tell them, 'hey don't shoot a second I got to get my pants on.'" Sam shrugged and Deeks was nearly in a hysterical fit of laughter. "Kens, go."

She fiddled with the ends of her hair as she thought. "Never have I ever been fined for indecent exposure." She looked around and very slowly Deeks put up his hand and she giggled. "Really now? Do tell."

"I was seventeen and a cop caught me and Joanna Khep skinny dipping, fined us both." Deeks said with a laugh. "Her dad threatened to cut my nuts off when he found out. Never spoke to her again." He thought a moment. "Never have I ever played strip poker."

"Really?" Kensi questioned.

"Really," Deeks replied. "A rather big disappointment too." Callen had his hand up, and Kensi slowly put her hand up too. "You know the rules," Deeks said. "Explain yourselves."

"Ladies first," Callen said putting the attention on Kensi.

"I was fifteen, and I ended the game fully dressed." Kensi said but Deeks's eyes were studying her and gave her that 'yeah right' look. "Okay, I lost my shirt..." he still had that look. "And my pants," he raised an eyebrow. "And my shoes, my socks and I quit playing before I lost anything else." She turned her attention over to Callen just wanting it to be off of herself. "And you?"

"Seventeen, a large high school party, holed up in a basement," Callen said. "Two of the ladies at the table were tanked, no matter how poorly I played I could still beat them." He smiled a little.

The game went into Sam's court. "Never have I ever run a red light."

"Once!" Callen threw up his hand exasperated. Sam stared at him a moment and Callen thought for a second. "Twice, but both times was during a car chase!"

"Ditto," Deeks agreed. "Once chasing down a guy wanted for vehicular manslaughter."

"Once," Kensi said. "It was yellow, I thought I could make it, I was going to be late for work."

"Red light cam?" Sam asked.

"Oh yeah, was not worth getting to work on time for the fine I got."

"At least you didn't have to go to driving school," Callen soothed and Kensi shrugged. "Never have I ever...been surfing."

"What!" Deeks cried. "You live in California, how do you live?"

"Kensi hasn't either."

"Actually..." she said slowly. "Deeks has been teaching me."

"Oh," Callen said. "Just me then."

"Never have I ever... had sex on the first date," Kensi said with a grin. Slowly each of the guys raised their hands. "Pigs, you're all pigs."

"Never have I ever kissed someone of the same sex," Deeks stared at Kensi.

She smiled. "Nice try Deeks, but I haven't." And no one else had either.

"Never have I ever dated a co-worker," Sam said.

"If we were drinking," Callen said, "I'd be drunk." Both senior agents looked over at the younger ones but neither were raising their hands. "Never have I ever sat in LAPD lock up."

Deeks and Sam both raised their hands, both from the same night when they first met.

"Never have I ever..." maybe Kensi was feeling sentimental because of the whole Anthrax thing and it had her a little scared because what she said surprised even her. "Never have I ever thought I'd have a family like this."

The three men raised their hands.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm so honoured by the kind messages I've been receiving over this story, thank you!**

::

Nell tossed and turned in her bed which was painfully empty with Callen's presence missing. She missed the heat of his body, the security she found in his arms, she missed talking to him until she fell asleep, usually with her head on his chest, a leg throw over and curled around one of his. He was in quarantine along with Kensi, Sam and Deeks.

She sat up in bed and walked through her dark apartment to her fridge and opened it. The fridge light lit up the entirety of the small kitchen. She shifted foot to foot before shutting the door and turning on the kitchen light. She groaned at the bright overhead light and had her eyes open in little slits as she tried to adust to the brightness. She made a camomile tea and took it into the living room sipping as she went. She read the paper, did the crossword and sudoku puzzle at the back, and finished off her little mug of tea.

She put the mug into the sink and shuffled off to bed. She needed to get to sleep, she had work in the morning, and if she was very lucky an hour after she and Eric started the field agents would come in for the day with clear bills of health.

_But what if they didn't?_

The very thought of any of the four being infected made her nauseous. She knew what Anthrax could do to the body. She scooted over to the side of the bed Callen slept on and opened the drawer on the night stand. She pulled out the book she had been reading and fluffed up her pillow wishing to be brought into the story, worry and fret over the characters trivial problems. Sadly, the book was uncooperative. Her eyes refused to focus on the page, the letters blurring into each other as her mind wandered far off course.

She threw the book across the room in an uncharacteristic frustration. There was absolutely nothing she could do, it was all completely out of her control and it made her feel like pulling her hair out.

Instead, she picked up her book and put it back in it's proper place and went into the living room flopping down on her worn out couch and grabbed the landline, she vectored in the time difference it was still a little late to be calling but she dialled home anyways.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey Dad. It's Nell. I hope I didn't wake you."

"_That's no mind,"_ Alan Jones responded._ "Good to hear from you Nell, what have you been up to these days?_"

"Just working," Nell responded.

"_Not from what I hear," _she heard his gruff laugh and it made her smile. _"Susy tells me you have a boyfriend." _

"I... am seeing someone." Nell responded and it made her worried about Callen all over again.

There was sounds in the background, and they were muffled. _"Well, I'll be talking to you later Pumpkin, but Susan wants the phone- heard us talking about that boy of yours and wants to grill you. I'll grill you later." _

Nell laughed. "Okay then, I'll talk to you later Dad."

"_Love you." _

"Love you too."

"_Nell! My girl, how are you?" _

"Good, you?"

"_I'm just fine," _Susan responded happily. "_So,"_ she held the word for much longer than Nell deemed necessary. _"What's his name? What's he do? Where is he from? Tell me everything!"_

Nell expected as much excitement from Susan, the woman was a total romantic. Nell on the other hand had only had one date during high school- which had ended poorly. She dated a few times during her college days but she worried more about grades than boys, only one had been long term and she realized now in retrospect that the relationship had lacked in so many areas she was surprised it had lasted as long as it had. She dealt more in facts than in feelings much to Susan's dismay.

"His name is Gregory."

"_Oh!"_ Susan cut her off before she could get any farther and she could imagine her family home and Susan in the living room practically squirming in her seat for more details. _"That's a good strong name." _

_And a total lie, _Nell thought, she shook her head. "He works in accounting. He grew up in Los Angeles." Which was close enough to the truth and even he had believed he had till he realized the beach he remembered was actually the Black Sea rather than the Pacific Ocean.

"_He handsome?" _

"Very," Nell responded twirling the phone cord in her hand.

"_This a serious thing?"_ Susan asked. _"Like walk down the aisle serious?"_

Nell coughed, choking on her own saliva in surprise. "Mom!"

"_What? It's a good question! You're twenty-six, you need to start thinking about settling down!" _

"We've been together only..." she calculated in her head. "Five months? Six?"

"_You know Chloe was only together with Christian for three months before he popped the question and we were shopping of her wedding dress at five months and now they're married and she's pregnant."_

"Chloe's pregnant!" Nell was shocked, Chloe was one of the adopted Jones, three years younger than Nell, but had been with the Jones family a year before Nell had come. It came as quite the shock, she had happily been one of Chloe's bridesmaids at the wedding, and Christian was a great brother-in-law and now Chloe was pregnant. It was making Nell's head spin.

"_Oh, you didn't hear! Yes, Chloe is two months along now! You need to start getting at having kids soon!" _

"Mom!" Nell whined into the phone. "Neither of us are thinking weddings or kids right now we're just... enjoying spending time together."

She couldn't help but to envision her mother face-palming. There was silence for a second. _"And are you able to spend time with him? You always have such long, and strange hours." _

"Yes, we make time." Nell replied, in fact, she was in near constant contact with him at work, but of course that was a no-no to tell her mom. "In fact, I have a long weekend coming up, and so does he and... well I was-"

"_Oh my God, you're finally coming to visit and you're bring Gregory with you!" _

"Well, yes."

"_I have to tell Alan!" _Susan exclaimed excitedly._ "Oh, and I'll call up Chloe, and Jeremy and... oh we'll have to get everyone together." _

"Nothing like overwhelming the poor guy," Nell said her lips in a hard line.

"_Family, he'll understand." _

_No, he won't._ Nell sighed. "Two weeks. I'll see you guys in two weeks, I have to go." She was practically falling asleep with the phone in hand.

"_Two weeks,"_ Susan repeated happily. _"Good night Nell." _

"G'night Mom." Exhausted she hung up the phone and fell asleep on the couch.

::

After having stopped at Deeks's house to feed Monty and let him out for the night - with keys given to him by Hetty he made his way back to his apartment. Eric enjoyed his own space, he liked the style of it, he liked the hardwood floors, he liked that his neighbours were quiet and not nosey in the least. He liked that mail delivery was always on time. He liked that he had a nice space for his computers. For the most part though, when it came to places to live, he wasn't hard to please, in fact, he was a pretty agreeable kind of guy, one who was nearly constantly calm, cool and collected.

Tonight was one of the rare nights where he wasn't.

He researched Anthrax at great lengths, studied it till he knew it inside and out but that only served to make him feel worse. Knowledge is power, a simple fact that Eric had always taken to heart. Knowing about Anthrax didn't help though, it didn't make his friends safe.

He hadn't gone to see Bethany like he had said he would after work. He didn't call her either. He didn't want to lie, didn't want to make up some lame excuse. He ran his hands through his styled blond hair and sunk into his computer chair. He passed time playing computer games until his eyes could no longer focus and then he shambled off to his bedroom.

He hadn't bothered with paint since moving in, so it was still the boring white the apartment building was fond of, his bed was a Queen and his mother had purchased the sheets figuring since he was born with the Y chromosome that he couldn't possibly pick out good ones. They were a solid earthy green, crisp and cool to slide into at night, which during the current heatwave was nice. It didn't help him sleep though. His eyes were tired, but his mind was going through the facts. And facts were Anthrax sucked.

He got back out of bed and walked into the bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and took two prescription grade sleeping pills. Working at the NCIS Office of Special Projects wasn't a job that gave you the best night sleep. Exhausted you, yes. Proper sleep, no. At least with the sleeping pills he'd get a few hours in before having to go back to work.

The sleeping pills lulled him off, but only served to trap him in nightmares.

::

Nell looked over to the door when Eric walked in. He was wearing his typical sweater, board shorts in bright blue and a pair of flip flops, but his hair was un-styled, matted in some places, partially curled in others, his eyes were a little blood-shot. "You look like hell," Nell told Eric as he walked into the Ops Centre.

"Hate to break this to you Nell," he said dropping his bag and carrying his coffee over to his station and sitting down next to her. "But you don't look any better."

Nell had showered, but hadn't bothered to style her hair or do her make up. She was exhausted having gotten a collective three hours of sleep during the night if she tallied up all the little naps she'd had. She was well aware of the dark circles under her eyes, the mirror had not been kind that morning. She wore a pair of her jeans, but a shirt of Callen's which she had mostly covered with a pull over sweater that it was already getting to warm out to be wearing.

"Hear anything?" He asked.

"Not a word, I wanted to ask Hetty, but she was on the phone."

"They're in the clear," Hetty said from the doorway. "I just got off the phone with Doctor Burke, and he says they are all going to be just fine. He suggested I bring them their go-bags." She smiled happily at them. Nell sighed and seemed to melt into her chair with relief. Eric smiled and bowed his head a little letting out a sigh. "I sure could use a hand delivering."

"I'll go!" Both Eric and Nell jumped from their seats, just as Hetty knew they would.

"I assumed," Hetty replied. "Come on."

::

Eric ended up carrying all of the bags, while Nell carried in four coffee's, Hetty opened the door for them.

"We're getting them out now," Doctor Burke said when they came in.

"Excellent," Hetty responded. "Thank you for taking such good care of my agents."

"No problem, but if they had to wait much longer they'd be crawling up the walls. Your man Callen's been pacing beside his bed for the better part of the last three hours. Miss Blye seems incredibly agitated and I would put it past her to try and claw her way out."

The doors opened with a puff to the second chamber and Kensi was first to clamber out of her bed and rush into it. Deeks moved a little slower, Callen following behind and Sam bringing up the rear. The door shut and air blasted leaving them all shuddering in the thin hospital type pants and t-shirts they'd been provided with. The second door opened.

"Freedom!" Kensi nearly shouted her hands in the air.

"Is that coffee?" Deeks asked rubbing his sleep filled eyes as he looked at Nell. "Is it," he got more excited as he studied the tops where agents initials were. "I could kiss you right now," he said when he picked out the one labelled 'MD' and took a glorious sip. He caught the cold glare Callen was sending his way and swallowed hard. "But I won't, because that would be inappropriate."

Callen took his coffee and kissed the top of her head. "You okay?" He whispered.

"I think that's my line," Nell whispered back.

"They let me out of the cube," he said as if that explained everything. He took his bag from Eric and thanked him. "Hitting the showers, be right back," he informed her and took off to the bathrooms.

Sam got his bag and coffee and looked exhausted as he shuffled his feet following the same line as his partner.

Kensi was practically dancing on the spot. "Coffee, bag, I got to pee."

"Too much info there Kens," Deeks informed her getting his bag from Eric. "I got to rush, Monty hasn't been out in..." Deeks didn't want to think about it, or the mess he was going to have to clean when he got home.

"Mr Beale let him out last night," Hetty informed.

Deeks smiled and clapped Eric on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "Thanks Eric."

"Anytime," Eric responded as Deeks headed off in the same direction as Callen did.

Kensi took her bag and coffee. "Thanks guys."

"Glad to see you guys are okay," Eric said.

She stopped her energized movement and took a second to realize how bad the tech squad looked. She gave Eric a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, and the same for Nell. "We're fine," she insisted. "But my bladder is bursting!" And she ran off in the opposite direction of the guys.

::

Kensi wasn't sure which was worse- being in quarantine or having to do paperwork all day. Both sucked pretty bad. Having been in quarantine and then having to go and do nine hours of paperwork was pretty much the worst.

Now she came home to her little house that was a disaster. Clothing was strewn everywhere, her couch cushions were still tossed aside from her shoe hunt, there was an empty pizza box on her living room table, DVD's were toppled over from when she had been on the hunt for Titanic, there was a lacy bra on the top of the couch, probably taken off when she got uncomfortable watching television at night. She sighed deciding she'd rather deal with it on the weekend.

She checked her e-mails but there weren't any, work related or personal. She went to her phone and checked her messages, no phone calls. She felt a twinge of disappointment and the fear that was lodged in every woman when a man didn't call her back. Maybe he was one of those three day rule kind of guys. Stupid rule.

Having not slept well while in quarantine she put her couch back together, laid down and put on some television to help her release the day, she was snoring five minutes later.

::

"Monty!" Deeks called coming in, the dog whined. "Come on, lets go outside!"

The dog relieved himself quickly and came running back to Deeks wagging his tail happily.

"Sorry about that pal," Deeks said shutting the door and locking it behind him. He had intentions of going out for a jog since he had sat around all day, first in quarantine and then for seemingly endless paperwork. Instead it seemed like inactivity made him even more tired, he made his way to the bedroom stripped down naked and fell asleep on top of his sheets.

::

"Are you okay?" Michelle was on him, worry in her eyes as she looked Sam over head to toe.

"Fine," he responded.

Michelle let out a wavered breath. "You were suppose to be home last night."

"Sorry I didn't get the chance to call you," Sam responded locking the door behind him. "How are the kids?"

"Don't." Michelle warned, her dark eyes glaring at him dangerously. "Don't you dare."

"What?"

"Change the subject! I thought we were done with the lies!"

Her voice was raising and he put his hands on her shoulders. "Mitch, quiet down, you'll wake them up." Her lips were in a tight line of anger, her hands were on her hips, her eyes challenging, never leaving his. He let out a long sigh. There were certain things you just didn't tell your wife, being in quarantine certainly qualified. "There was a case, I got held over."

"And you couldn't call?"

"No. I couldn't." Sam was agitated, all he could think about in the cube was that if he had Anthrax, and he died, Michelle would be on her own, Zachary and Zoe would grow up with out a father, and Zoe might not even be old enough to be able to remember him later in life. His heart squeezed painfully. "I wanted to, but I couldn't." Even if he had a phone, it wouldn't have been a call he'd be able to make. Forget protocol, he couldn't call up his wife and say 'I might be infected with Anthrax, we're going to wait it out in a quarantine cube and find out,' it just wasn't going to happen.

She shot him an angry look and stalked off to bed, he sighed and followed her. She kept her back to him refusing to talk anymore. Despite not sleeping much in the cube, he didn't sleep much there beside her either.

::

Nell had ditched the sweater in the car on the way home, the heat too much for her to bare. She had pinched the front of her shirt and waved it, absentmindedly trying to get some airflow down her front. Callen, who was driving his new white Mercedes back to her apartment noticed, as he looked over.

He looked back to the road. "That's my shirt."

She smiled a little. "Yes it is."

She lived in an 'up and coming' area, which basically meant completely undeveloped and half started projects all around. Bare beams and windowless buildings were all around on the north side, and new buildings- like Nell's, to the south. Shrubbery and little flowers gave some life to the front of the new apartments, small palm trees had been planted and ready to grow. He turned toward the south side and Nell sat a little straighter in her seat.

"You took a wrong turn," she informed him. She should have known better, Callen knew his way around the city, and he definitely knew the way to her apartment, he practically lived there after all.

"No I didn't."

"Yeah," Nell responded her eyebrows drawing close in suspicion. "My building is in the other direction."

"Yes, your building is in the other direction, but no, I didn't take a wrong turn. I wasn't going there."

She looked out the window, it was dark and the area didn't have streetlights yet. There was no restaurants, no convenience stores or coffee shops he might want to stop at. There was nothing. "G, what the heck, there is nothing around this area for miles."

"Exactly." He pulled into a vacant lot, put the car in park and killed the engine. "You're wearing my shirt."

She swallowed hard as he reached over and pulled at the top button. "I am," she played coy and looked back out the window. She heard his seat get adjusted back, her seatbelt clicked off and he pulled her over his lap, she smiled down at him. "Hi there."

"It looks good on you," he said as he begun kissing a line up her neck. Her back arched giving him better access, his day old beard scratching against her sensitive skin. "I missed you," he admitted his lips moving against her skin lightly.

"I missed you too," she said having trouble keeping a regular tempo of breath.

His lips claimed hers and her hands moved along his jaw line, down his neck, over his broad shoulders and then down his chest. She pulled up the hem of his shirt and her fingers ran over his body.

Buttons were undone, some were lost under the seat of the white leather interior, shirts ended up on the passengers side floor. Nell's jeans ended up on the back seat, Callen's in the front drivers side. After Nell's bottom had hit the horn, they ended up in the back seat, from there her panties had been thrown and now after the fact as she laid hot and snuggled up to Callen did she see them dangling on the rear view mirror.

"Those were some impressive moves, Miss Jones," Callen said with a smile on his lips as he made work of kissing all the little freckles on her left shoulder.

"Those?" She smiled playfully. "If that's what I'll do in the back seat of a Mercedes, imagine what I'd do in the back seat of a Aston Martin." She left him with that to think about as she leaned between the two front seats to pluck her panties from where they hung. She peeked over her shoulder and caught his smile right before he pulled her back down by the hips.


	6. Chapter 6

**I didn't intend on this story having chapters way longer than that of previous stories... it just always happens, I get writing and I can't stop!**

::

The car roared to life and Deeks looked over at her with excitement lighting up his eyes. "Got it."

Kensi smiled back at him. "You have now just successfully hot-wired your first car." He had bugged her since coming into work, and she had promised in Bosnia to teach him. Since they didn't currently have a case, and were shockingly up to date on paperwork they went to the garage. Hetty had signed off on the lesson and Sierra- one of the NCIS mechanics had given them an older model car that was sporting bullet holes in the back some burnt upholstery to practice on.

They both exited the vehicle and Sierra studied them her blue eyes piercing, her blonde hair up in a bun, bits of the long hair falling out. "When hot-wiring go for older model cars. New vehicles often have kill switches, alarms, lots of little things to screw up the job and leave you high and dry," Sierra informed him quickly looking at the old clunker. "This hunks heading for the scrap yard, I'm actually a little surprised it started at all."

"I'm just that good," Deeks said smiling at her. She didn't smile back, instead Sierra turned on her heel and went back to her doc station. Deeks turned to Kensi. "Did I say something?" She just nodded her head in the opposite direction and they left the garage and started walking back to the office. "I don't think she likes me." Deeks said.

"Sierra... Sierra use to be an agent," Kensi said stopping outside of the office and looking at Deeks. "A mission went south in a real bad way. She got hurt real bad, her partner was killed in front of her." Kensi looked over her shoulder like she half expected the mechanic to be standing behind her. "First thing she did when she got out of the hospital was come into the office drop off her badge and her gun. Hetty knew she's a wiz with cars so she got her to stay on as a mechanic instead."

Deeks couldn't imagine having to watch as his partner was killed. Might be enough to make him hand in his gun and badge too.

"Her entire personality changed after that, quiet, withdrawn." Kensi gave a sad shrug. "I think she died along side her partner." With that she walked into the office and left Deeks with horrible thoughts.

::

Callen had told her to meet him at the Bar Celona Restaurant in the Pasadena neighbourhood. She wondered how he knew it was one of her favourites. She had gotten off work earlier, having less paperwork than the Senior Agent-In-Charge. She had time to shower, re-style her hair, do her makeup with a shimmery silver eyeliner for the night, she had made quick work of the rest of her makeup and rushed off to her closet.

Four outfits later she had settled on a orange dress with a grey half sleeved cardigan and leaving the tights she would have worn with it had she have been going to work. She pulled a pair of kitten heels from her closet and tested them in the mirror with her outfit. Finding it acceptable she grabbed her small bag and headed out.

She enjoyed driving her little red Mini Cooper, it was stick shift but she didn't mind, she had learnt to drive it at the tender age of twelve with the eldest biological Jones boy Riley. Alan and Susan hadn't known and they sure had been angry with him when they found out. She smiled at the memory as she shifted gears coming up to the restaurant. She looked around for Callen's vehicle but didn't see it anywhere, she pulled up to the side knowing the place was by valet, she gave her keys and got her ticket and stood waiting.

She saw the Mercedes approach and smiled when he got out of the car, he was dressed in a pair of steel grey slacks, and a light blue button down shirt with a grey tie. "Hetty caught me on my way out," he said to her before kissing her on the cheek. "Took one look at me and said 'you're not going out with Nell dressed like that, are you?'" He shook his head. "Luckily I talked her out of the bow tie.

"I don't know," she said giving the tie a playful tug. "I think you would look rather dashing in a bow tie."

"Huh," was his response as he took her hand and they walked into the restaurant together. The place was all warm colours, dark brick, red cushions, the lounge area was filled with bold colours but they followed the hostess into the dining area. Bold artwork on the walls, dark wood at the bar.

They got a table and Nell could see the tension in Callen's shoulders as he looked around, likely counting heads, profiling, trying to tell if anyone had a gun tucked away under folds of clothing. "Relax G," Nell said putting her hand overtop of his over the table.

"I am relaxed," he responded casually as his thumb ran over the back of her hand. They rarely ate out, choosing to order in most of the time. With the hours they worked it was difficult to get time in to cook dinner or go to a restaurant during dinner hours. If a case went long someone would go out, grab a pizza and they'd all grab a slice eating it in the bullpen while they went over case details. Eating nutritionally fell pretty low on everyone's 'to do list' perhaps with the exception of Nell who seemed to make a point of it most days.

She waited a long moment while he finished scanning the room for potential threats, she knew he couldn't even really help it. Not being on a case hadn't stopped him from being shot in the middle of the day on a busy street, had it? He was vigilant, and he had every reason to be.

He finally turned his attention back to her. "So, where exactly are you from?"

"Illinois," Nell responded. "More specifically, Cicero it's a little ways away from Chicago."

"Really," he said a little surprised.

"Yep," Nell responded with a little nod, her bare leg grazed against his and he shot her a smile. They both quickly ordered when the waitress came over and quickly got caught back up in each other.

"So, give me the run down on your family," Callen said.

Nell smiled. "Susan and Alan Jones are my parents. Then there is Steven, he's the eldest and he was adopted before I got there. Then Riley, he's the eldest biological child. Then it's Jeremy, also adopted. Then it's the twins Logan and Lucas, they're biological. Then it's me. Then Chloe, who was adopted but she was there before I was. And then the baby of the family is Chase, also biological. There have been plenty of fosters too, some still stay in touch, others didn't."

"Big family," Callen said.

"I didn't even add in that most of the older ones are married, their children, my cousins..." Nell stopped when she seen the flash of a look on Callen's face, it was gone a fragment of a second later but she'd seen it all the same. "Nervous?"

Callen shot her a dirty look. "With what I do for a living? Not a chance. How hard could meeting your family be?" She smiled at him and he shook his head and smiled. "Okay a little bit." She laughed.

::

Kensi fumbled with her keys, because when your phone is ringing inside and you try really fast to get to it, you always fumble your keys and miss the call. She got in and dumped her purse on the floor inside the door as she grabbed the phone. "Hello," her voice breathless as she answered.

"_Kensi! It's Ethan."_

"Hey," she said trying to sound calm and cool, when the reality was that the case had not been kind, to Callen and Sam- yes. To her and Deeks... she sniffed her hair and there was still ashes in it and she smelt like smoke- not so kind. "How's it going?"

"_Good, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to... go see a movie, or take a walk by the beach, or get coffee or... something." _

She smiled. "I could really do with a coffee."

"_Great,"_ his enthusiasm made her smile.

"I just...got back from a run, I got to shower first, want to meet It's a Grind on Santa Monica Boulevard?"

"_Yeah, sure, sounds great."_

"Meet you there in an hour?"

"_See you then."_

They disconnected and Kensi ran to the shower.

::

"That isn't level," Michelle told Sam her hands on hips.

"It looks level."

"Not from where I'm standing," she argued. He hung the picture and stepped back to stand beside her. She was right, it was crooked.

"I hate hanging pictures."

"It's a total b-i-t-c-h," she said quietly since Zachary was sitting on the ground hunched over the coffee table with a colouring book and a bunch of broken crayons.

Zoe came into the room in her footie-pajamas and pulled on Sam's pant leg. "Up!" He picked her up and she studied the newly decorated wall. "Me," she said pointing.

"That's right baby girl," he said walking her closer to the wall and studying the picture she had pointed at. It was one of her with her halo of curls and a big bow, her eyes wide with surprise and had been taken on her second birthday. "Who's this?" He questioned pointing to another picture on the wall.

"Momma!" Zoe cried with delight and looked over Sam's shoulder at Michelle. "Momma it's you!"

"That's right Zoe," she too came to stand with Sam and their daughter at the wall of family pictures. "Who's in this picture Zoe?" Michelle pointed at the picture of Zachary on the swing set in the backyard.

"Zack!" Zoe said proudly.

"And who are these people?" Sam asked pointing to another.

"It's Gamma and Gampa!" She clapped her hands happily. She pointed to another picture. "Lea." Referring to her godmother and Michelle's best friend. She pointed to another picture. "Daddy it's you and Momma!"

"That's right sweetheart." He picked up the last picture he had to hang, one that had been taken at dinner earlier in the week. "And what about this one, who's in this picture Zoe?"

"Uncle G! And Nell!"

"Good job!" Michelle said taking her out of Sam's arms. "But it's time for bed."

"No! I'm not tired yet Momma!"

"Well I'll just have to read you a story then."

"What kind of story?" Zachary asked looking up.

"Princess story!" Zoe decided and Zachary quickly went back to colouring.

Michelle took Zoe to bed and Sam went back to looking at the wall, he shook his head, grabbed the level and got back to work.

::

Deeks finally managed to get all the debris from the explosion out of his hair. He dressed up in a suit, grabbed his keys to his Chevy Malibu and checked his tie in the mirror by the door. "How do I look Monty?" The dog just looked at him blankly and went back to laying down under the coffee table. "You're going to give me a complex you know that?" Monty rolled onto his back and his tongue lolled out the side. "You don't even care," Deeks shook his head, left the radio on and locked the door behind him.

The night was still pretty warm, especially since he was in a three piece suit. He jogged down the lane and got into his car, the Jeep was locked up tight in the garage, the car he didn't care if it got shot up, the Jeep toted his surf gear and if it got shot, he'd be devastated. Not that he intended on being shot at, but... things happened.

The roads were busy but he didn't mind too much. He got the car valet parked and headed into the club, one of the many perks of working for years as an LAPD undercover Detective was the fact that he had been someone at nearly every club. At this one he'd been Jacob Turney, the bouncers greeted him like they would an old friend and he was let in quickly.

The music was deafening, the base was nearly enough to give someone an arrhythmia. Men in suits, women in gorgeous dresses, high class everyone dressed to the nines. "I'm surprised you called," Deeks said sitting at the bar.

"I'm surprised you answered."

"Good to see you Jax."

"Good to see you too Marty."

Deeks looked over and studied old friend Jackson Bennett, in the five years since they had last seen each other Jax hadn't changed too much. His russet hair was as in the same close cut he always wore, clean shaven, his choice of attire told a story, he was actually comfortable in a suit and tie. The man was an architect who was constantly getting more illustrious clientele.

"Last I heard you were set up in Texas," Deeks said.

"Was, still am, I have a team of architects there, secretaries, accountants, an entire enterprise." Jax took a sip of the whisky in his glass. "I've been getting more and more requests from this region for designs. Might set up another branch here. Thinking about moving, might be nice to spend a little time in California again."

"You hate LA."

"I dislike aspects of Los Angeles," Jax corrected. "Not the entire thing. Can't believe I'm saying it, but when I got out of LAX all I could think was 'I'm home' you know." Jax shrugged. "I guess I miss the LA crazies."

Deeks laughed and the two men sat ignoring the beautiful women while they caught up on the past five years.

::

Kensi wore jeans and a plain white shirt as she entered It's a Grind coffee shop on Santa Monica. She looked around a minute before she saw Ethan, he was on his computer and she stepped around so she could get behind him. It was some kind of design program, he was writing long equations out on a napkin beside him and jumped when she put her hand on his shoulder. "Hey."

He shut the laptop and shoved it along with his napkin of equations onto the leather laptop bag. "Hey Kensi, good to see you."

"You too," she responded, she nodded her head to the front. "Coffee's on me."

"I was the one who asked you out," Ethan said as they stood in line together. "I should have to pay."

They argued and Ethan ended up winning by handing over the cash before she could get into her wallet. They talked but she knew she was being distant, she tried to lean in, tried to listen but she was bored, her knee kept jumping, it was her usual run time and her body was getting impatient with all this sitting around.

This was how it always was for her on the second date. She couldn't seem to focus. She nodded hoping it was the right thing to do because her mind was on her job. She thought about dinner, maybe she'd order in... or maybe just microwave some tomato soup.

"...What about you?" Ethan asked

_Shit._ She hadn't been paying attention to a single word he'd said.

"Sorry," Kensi said putting her hand to her temple. "I just... my headache has me distracted." She lied, her head felt fine.

"Oh, well..." Ethan sounded disappointed. "Maybe we should call it a night then."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about this."

He put a hand on her arm comfortingly. "It's fine Kensi, it was nice seeing you again."

"You too," she kissed him on the cheek and left.

She thumped her head against the car wheel when she got in feeling like a bit of a jerk. Ethan was a nice guy and she hadn't listened to a word he said. Instead she thought about Deeks... in a wetsuit, surfing way better than she ever could. She watched sometimes, hanging back so she could see him ride a wave. It was beyond description, he was simply one with the wave.

She hit her head again and grabbed her keys from her pocket and headed home.

::

"Uh oh," Sam said when he got out of his car and saw Kensi leaning against the wall of the office building. "You went on the second date," he said knowingly.

"I did," she agreed and sighed. Deeks was already in and she hadn't been able to take sitting in the bullpen with him why he tapped his pen doing paperwork.

Sam leaned against the wall along side her. "And..."

"And... I was my typical second date self," she grumbled and hit her head back against the wall. "I couldn't concentrate, all I was thinking about was 'I'm missing my run time' you know. Which is stupid."

"Maybe you should just... try a third date."

"A third date?" Kensi said her eyebrows shooting up. "I was a terrible second date, and it was only a coffee shop date, it hardly even counts."

"It counts," Sam said. "Maybe you just have this... thing in your head about second dates and how they're going to be bad so they are. Maybe this third date will be really great."

"I guess," she replied. "I mean... he is a nice guy."

"See."

"And...he's handsome... and he opens doors, pulls out chairs, he's an all out gentleman."

"Just what you need," he said putting a hand on her shoulder.

She smiled over at him. "Thanks Sam."

"Anytime Kens, now we better get in before Hetty assumes we're late."

::

Eric hadn't showed for the second night in a row. Bethany called, left messages but he never got back to her. She studied the painting in front of her but she wasn't feeling very inspired. She left her little studio and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed the tub of chocolate ice cream, didn't bother to get a bowl just a spoon and sat down on the floor, her back against the fridge.

He always called her back. Or shot a text... or something. Usually he showed up unannounced, not that she had ever minded, in fact she enjoyed the company. She grabbed her phone as she licked off the ice cream from the spoon and dialled his cell number, no answer.

She called his landline and got his answering machine. "Hey Eric," she said. "It's Bethany." Her voice had lost some of it's usual perkiness. "Haven't heard back from you, I'm just...worried I guess. Just... call me back please, or text me or something." She hung up before her emotions got away with her and she said something stupid. After all, it wasn't like they were married, hell they weren't even really dating. They were just... occasionally together. Hell, her divorce hadn't even gone through yet, David was constantly bickering for more, and she just wanted to get on with her life but he wouldn't sign the divorce agreement and she was losing more money on lawyers than she could afford.

She snapped the lid back on the ice cream and threw it back into the freezer. Maybe Eric was feeling smothered by her. Bethany bit her lip and walked out of the kitchen before she decided she needed more ice cream comfort.

She missed him, his smile and his laugh. Some days he came over and he seemed so stressed. She wondered how stressful a job as an IT guy could be. She frowned, she hoped he was okay.

A knock on the door had her heart fluttering and the butterflies in her stomach. She smiled, no one but Eric came over so late. She nearly ran to the door with her excitement, she threw back the bolt and opened the door. "Hey Eric..." but it wasn't Eric. She swallowed hard and the butterflies died, her heart sped up with fear. "David..."

::

Nell took a deep breath, enjoying the earthy scent of fresh cut grass. Callen had told her he was going home for the night, things needed to be done. He had a point, the grass had been long, and now it was cut, raked and bags of the grass were in compostable bags by the sidewalk for pick up.

The strong urns which she believed were left by previous owners were still plant free and she couldn't help but think of floral designs for them in her head. She thought about knocking, but he always just walked right into her place after all he had her pass code, was given a pass at security and had the key to her deadbolt.

On her hip she had a big brown bag of all the ingredients needed to make a pot roast and mashed potatoes, she bought a coffee cake and she found him in the kitchen. She stared for a long minute and put the bag of groceries down before she dropped them in her shock. "What is that?"

He frowned and walked over, the object still in hand and touched her forehead. "You okay?"

"Yes, of course, what are you doing?"

Callen laughed. "It's a broom, I'm sweeping."

She studied the broom again and then Callen. "Does not compute." She said and started on dinner.

"The floor gets dirty, I have to sweep it. Occasionally I even have to mop it."

"You're blowing my mind," Nell said as she begun peeling potatoes.

"Really, I even cut the grass."

"I seen that," Nell said. "It seems odd. Special Agent-In-Charge mows lawn, sweeps floors... housewife." He shot her a dirty work and went to finish sweeping up the kitchen area. "Oh," Nell said turning to face him. "I forgot to tell you the other night." He looked at her inquisitively. "My sister Chloe- she's married to Christian," she informed. "She's pregnant, two months along!" Nell did a little dance in place as she peeled the potato, part of the skin landed on the floor. Both she and Callen stared at it, she looked up at him. "I'll clean that."

"You better, I don't intend on sweeping again."

She shook her head. "Anyways, I bet there is going to be talk of the baby shower when we go down. I don't want you to be alarmed. I'm kind of excited, it's been a while since I've seen Chloe and now she's pregnant and there is going to be another little Jones in the family." Nell smiled.

When women start to talk about children in any capacity, it always makes the men they are with nervous. This conversation was definitely making G Callen nervous.


	7. Chapter 7

Eric felt bad when he heard Bethany's messages on his answering machine. He sighed heavily, he wished he could have answered the calls, or sent her a text but he'd been working on encryption codes, hacking into servers and yelling at Kensi and Deeks to get the heck out of the building before it exploded.

He left his apartment once again and walked down the street to an open all night convenience store and bought a small plain bouquet of flowers, you couldn't be all choosy at ten o'clock at night. He hailed a cab and gave the address hoping to have a quick nap on the way there but his mind wouldn't let him rest. Bethany wasn't so much a problem as he was the problem for her. He couldn't tell her that he worked for the NCIS Office of Special Projects, as far as she knew he was an IT, Callen was an accountant, Deeks- a lawyer who'd given her advice on the divorce process, Sam a corporate business man, Nell a tv news editor, and Kensi a journalist.

Eric paid and tipped the man and walked up the flight of stairs and down the row of apartments until he found hers.

The door was slightly open, the only weapon he had was a bouquet of flowers. Heart hammering in his chest he moved forward slowly, his fear for her overwhelming his own sense of self-preservation. "Beth?" He whispered as loud as he dared pushing the door open. The lights were on in the house, so he had no trouble missing the destruction, her side table was toppled over, mirror shattered and glass bits were all over the ground. He pulled out his phone and paused, who to call? LAPD, but he'd have to go, Eric Beale should not be involved in any of this- he like the agents was a ghost. Which meant he needed to rely on his team. He called the Senior Agent-In-Charge first, Callen would know what to do.

"This better be good," Callen said in way of greeting, his voice was grumpy and Eric heard Nell giggling in the background.

"Someone broke into Beth's place," Eric whispered, nervous that whoever had caused such damages was still there. "Everything in sight's been destroyed."

Callen's voice was more serious when he spoke again. "Do you see Beth?"

"No."

"Address," Callen ordered.

Eric recited it.

"Okay, I'll be there in- no Nell, you're staying here- ten," Callen said the next words a little muffled as he spoke away from the phone. "No, you're not. No you're... fine, bring your gun then. What do you mean you don't..." Callen sighed. "Stay where you are Eric. Be there soon." The call disconnected.

Eric stood bouncing from one foot to the other, he couldn't just... stand here and do nothing. "Beth," he called out cautiously again as he moved into the living room, her beanbag chairs were unharmed but her little love seat IKEA couch looked like it had been cut open with a knife. Her small flat screen television was laying on the ground and her bookcase that had been filled to capacity had been knocked over.

He pushed open the door to her little studio, canvases had long rips in them, he took a look at the one on the easel that she'd been working on and hadn't let him see yet. There was a picture of him taped on the top part of the easel and it looked like she'd been using it for a reference. He remembered the day it had been taken, they'd been hanging around on the beach for the day when she'd started clicking away with her camera. The painting itself hadn't been finished, nor would it ever considering jagged cuts and the knife that was sticking out of his forehead.

The kitchen was a mess of broken glasses, cupboards open, some were off the hinges. "Beth?" His voice rising a little higher terrified that he wasn't getting a response. Pictures that had been hung on the wall of her family were now sitting on the floor in broken frames.

He made his way down the hall and noticed the only room thus far that had escaped damages was the bathroom, but then again, the little thing didn't have much to break.

"Bethany?" He pushed open the door to the bedroom and was met with a punch to the face. He was knocked back, the flowers falling to the floor. Another punch had little black dots dancing in his vision as he ended up slammed back against the kitchen counter. He ducked, just in time to miss the latest punch and it took him a second to recognise the face. David- Bethany's husband that she was trying to divorce.

"You sonovabitch," David's voice was low and angry. "You sleeping with my wife?"

"David, leave him alone!" Bethany looked terrified when Eric saw her in the one entrance of the kitchen, David standing between him and her.

"Shut up!" Was David's response and Eric backed out of the kitchen through the opposite end as David approached. "I asked you a question you little punk. Have you been sleeping with my wife?"

"She filed for divorce, I think she's done with you, you should leave." Eric's words were far braver than he felt. He threw the only thing in reach. A beanbag chair. Highly ineffective, the hulk of a man threw it to the side and it seemed the attack only made him more agitated.

Another punch to the gut and one to the face had Eric on the floor trying to get his double vision to straighten out. He wasn't sure which of the men he should be avoiding.

"Eric!" Bethany was at his side and semi using her body to block Eric from David, she turned her body toward her husband and put out a hand. "Stop it! Leave him alone!"

David grabbed her by the arm and ripped her to her feet, she let out a scream and hit his chest and he responded by spinning her around and pushing her into the wall holding her there with his entire body. "You're mine Bethany, and you go around sleeping with him."

"Eric is twice the man you'll ever be," Bethany responded heatedly.

A hand on David's arm pulled him away from Bethany and a solid punch to the face knocked him back a step. Bethany was pushed back and left unbalanced.

Two figures dropped down next to him, he blinked a few times and the image merged into one. "How you feeling?" Nell's voice came to him.

"Like I got punched in the face," Eric responded with the help of Bethany and Nell he got back to his feet.

Callen ducked and then put up an arm to block a blow but it only served to knock him against the wall. Trapped between the big man and the wall he ducked again and threw a punch to David's stomach, and another but David threw a punch to Callen's face that he couldn't avoid his head hit against the wall succeeding in knocking him out.

"G!" Nell's voice was filled with surprise, he was out like a light, eyes shut, his body had fallen at an unnatural angle, still sitting up against the wall, his one leg under, one out straight.

David turned to Eric who was flanked by Nell and Bethany. Eric's eyes were focussed on David and he pushed the two women back. "Call for backup," he said to Nell.

"Did that on the way here," Nell whispered back but she smiled a bit when one of Callen's blue eyes opened just a crack and looked around. _Big faker, _she thought_._.

He winked at her as he got back up slowly, he had been pinned in a terrible position, but now he had the bigger man's back. He knew that if he tried a choke hold it would end badly, Callen knew both his height and size against this opponent would be a liability. He shot out a kick to the back of the man's knee not wanting to use his gun in such a situation.

David turned back on him and Eric hit him in the back with a baseball bat he knew Bethany kept in the closet by the front door.

David turned back to Eric and took a step back.

"You're late," was what Callen said.

A hand on Eric's shoulder actually made him relax. "Traffic," Sam replied. "It's Los Angeles, it's always traffic."

David was looking less like he wanted to fight, more like he wanted to get the hell out of dodge.

A few steps behind Sam came barging in Kensi who was dressed in shorts and a sleep shirt, her two shoes weren't the same. "Everyone good?" She asked.

"Am I late?" Deeks asked coming in.

Bethany glared at her husband. "Get the hell out."

The man glared back. "Slut," David muttered as he walked by her out the door.

She waited a beat, her eyes glued on the door till he was out of sight. Her breaths became sobs and tears started to run down her face as she turned and hugged Eric with every bit of strength she had. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Eric said, which he was if he ignored the massive headache and the pain in his jaw. He was sure nothing was broken but it was surely bruised. "You?"

"I'm fine, he just... he came in here and started... turning over tables and breaking mirrors... he... he... he had a knife and..." she moved away a bit so she had room to wipe the tears from her face. "I'm sorry Eric, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"It wouldn't have happened if not for me," Bethany sobbed. She turned to Callen. "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

"Fine," Callen responded, Nell at his side studying the bruises forming.

"Thank you, all of you," she looked around catching everyone's eyes. She looked around at her broken things. "I've got to... clean this up." Like sweeping the glass from the floor would make her forget the evenings events.

"Tomorrow," Eric said. "He might come back, stay with me tonight."

She looked over at him, her blue eyes shining with tears, she nodded and found comfort in his arms.

"I'm getting the feeling we're surplus to the requirements," Deeks said backing away, Kensi with her two different shoes following his lead. Sam too said goodnight and backed out.

"Go," Callen said quietly to Eric. "I'll make some calls."

Eric nodded and lead Bethany from her apartment while Callen made calls to local law enforcement and waited there until a uniform came to tape it all off.

::

The water was calm in the early morning so instead of surfing Kensi and Deeks sat away from shore on surfboards clad in wetsuits watching the sunrise. The waves were low, gently rocking them. After the previous nights adventure, both were quite content to sit and relax. "So... I heard you went on a date," Deeks said breaking the silence.

"So what if I did," Kensi responded defensively. It was one thing for Sam to 'big brother' her, Sam was a good listener, he gave advice, he would also lay a beat down on any man who was less than honourable on a date, she knew that for certain. Deeks on the other hand, Deeks was her partner, her best friend but the last thing she wanted to talk to him about was her love life.

"How was it... it was at a coffee shop, yeah?"

"Just how much did Sam tell you?" Kensi glared.

"That was about it, second date with this Ethan character at a coffee shop." Deeks replied bringing his feet up onto the board and wiggled his chilled toes. "So, how was it."

"_It _is none of your business." Deeks threw up his hands, but since he was sitting on the board the movement knocked him off balance and he fell into the water with a splash. Kensi smiled. "Karma," she said to herself before suddenly she was underwater too. She broke free of the water and grabbed the board her ankle was still attached too she spat out water and rubbed it from her eyes. "Deeks," she growled.

He smiled at her from over his board, still in the water. "I think I should meet this Ethan guy," he said.

"No," Kensi said climbing back onto the board. She heard Deeks's waterproof watch beep. "Time to head in," she said paddling back.

Deeks frowned, maybe he should do a background check on this Ethan character, except he needed more information, a last name, a license plate number... something. He thought about how to go about getting such information as he took one last look at the sunrise before following Kensi back to shore.

::

Days had passed since the incident at Bethany's apartment, and the yellow and purple bruises on the sides of Callen's face were starting to fade though he joked that at least while they were at the Lakers game his face was in team colours.

Currently though, their team was losing. "They're just giving the ball away!" Callen's hands ran over his head in frustration. Sam was doing the exact same thing. The two partners stood along with a stadium packed to capacity, majority cheering for the Lakers. It was a home game and the partners were in the Staples Center.

"No, no, no!" Sam hung his head as the other team dunked the ball.

All the Lakers fans booed and sat back down. "I need beer," Callen said looking around. Unable to find a vendor he crossed his arms over his chest.

"So, how are things going with you and Nell?"

"Nate's not around, so you're going to psycho-analyse me?"

"Come on, you two have been together six months. That demolishes your six week record." Sam said knowledgeably. "And you're going to meet her parents."

Callen rubbed his temples. "Don't remind me."

Sam laughed. "Every man is programmed to be terrified of the parents."

"You're not helping."

"You know, she's going to start wondering where this relationship is going."

"Are we seriously having this conversation at a Lakers game?"

"It's the only place I'm sure you won't run out of."

"I don't know, they're losing pretty bad," Callen replied.

Sam just pushed on. "Birthday's and holidays and anniversaries," he said. "Gifts, and all of them they kind of start wondering... 'maybe he'll propose.'"

"Propose what?"

"Are you purposely playing stupid."

"Sometimes it's best to roll over and play dead, sometimes it's in my best interest to play stupid." Callen responded with a smile. "Oh beer!" He purchased two pints since Sam had gotten the Lakers tickets and passed on to his partner and immediately started drinking his own.

"You're forty."

"Not quite," Callen avoided the fact his birthday was in a few weeks.

"You need to start to settle down."

Callen took a long drink from the plastic cup. "You sound just like your mother. First it was find a nice girl. Now it's propose to her."

"I'm just saying. She's twenty-six, she wants to get started with her life. Mitch was twenty-six when I married her, and I was a hell of a lot younger than you."

They both stood as the Lakers moved the ball down the court, there was some fancy footwork, a pass and a shot, it went wide, their opponents grabbing it and heading down in the opposite direction and scoring against the Lakers. "If they keep playing like this, I'm going to need something stronger than beer." Callen said sitting back down.

"It's just something to think about," Sam said.

"What? Becoming an alcoholic?"

Sam shot him a dirty look and Callen just smiled.

::

Nell's nose was red and Kensi was sniffling. "Tissues please," the older woman asked and Nell took one for herself and passed the box. "I love this movie, but the end... it gets me every time."

The two women sat in Nell's apartment watching Kensi's DVD of Titanic. "It's so romantic," Nell said blowing her nose.

"Don't tell the guys I cry when Jack dies."

"I won't," Nell assured. They both calmed down from the tears the show produced and cleaned up the tissues of heartbreak and the bowls of popcorn. "It's nice to have girls day. No testosterone."

Kensi smiled. "Very true, we still on for Tuesday to get our nails done?"

"Of course," Nell said. "As long as we don't get a case, like we did last week."

"And the week before that," Kensi said with a sigh. "So, hows it going with Callen? God that's weird to say... I mean it's Callen, I've known him years and he's never really had a girlfriend I've ever met and now it's you and..." Bosnia came to mind and she shook her head. "Is it weird, that I asked? I mean it's different with other girlfriends, not that I've talked to any of mine in years- fell out of touch with the entire secrecy thing you know..." Kensi sighed. "I'm making it weird aren't I."

Nell shrugged remembering the image of Kensi and Callen together in Bosnia. "It's not exactly a normal situation, you know."

"You're telling me."

"Everything is going well with Callen and I. He's coming with me to Illinois to meet my family."

"Really!" Kensi looked worried. "That must be tough. I mean... it's Callen, the man is a legend. Not the story kind but... like an agent 'ghost' kind. You're both going to have to have every lie perfected to the last detail."

Nell sighed and gave a casual shrug of her shoulders. "We have to."

"It'll be hard, but if anyone can pull it off, it's you two," Kensi said as she took a cookie from their bag of candy provisions.

"So how are things going with Ethan?"

"Seriously, Sam is such a gossip!" Kensi said as the two women made their way with cookies and Skittles back to the living room. They both flopped down on opposite ends of the couch facing each other. "How much did he tell you?"

"Wasn't Sam," Nell said studying a cherry Skittle before popping it in her mouth. "Callen mentioned it."

Kensi gave a 'hmm' in response as she chewed on a cookie. "It's..." Kensi thought about how to put it. She bit her lip.

"Just give me the facts and I'll analyse," Nell said chewing on a lemon Skittle and making a face at the brief sour moment.

"First date was great. Perfect gentleman, held doors, pulled out chairs, ordered desert and didn't make it all weird like some guys do." Kensi shrugged and shifted to get comfortable on the old worn couch. "I get a call back a few days later, and my hair still has soot in it from that explosion." Nell nodded knowing the case. "So I tell him I have to shower- from a run." It was hard, lying all the time but necessary. "So we meet up from coffee, and... I just space I'm thinking about all kinds of other things."

"What kinds of other things?" Nell asked innocently trading off the Skittles for a chocolate chip cookie.

_Deeks. _"Running," she answers. "Dinner." She shrugged and studied the young woman who was raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"You were thinking about someone else. Another man." Nell said wisely, like she was some kind of all-knowing-little-Hetty-in-training.

"What? No, no I wasn't." Kensi insisted sitting up right. "I wasn't thinking about Deeks."

"Didn't say you were," Nell responded, she was sitting cross-legged and looking very zen. "You said Deeks. Not me."

Kensi groaned she was a special agent, she interrogated for a living and she just let her partners name slip of the tip of her tongue like some idiot. "You look so young and innocent but you..." Kensi hit her head off her knees. "Yes, I was thinking about Deeks. I was thinking about Deeks surfing, and you have no idea what the image of Deeks in a wetsuit can do to a girl!"

"Sadly not," Nell agreed and that got Kensi to smile.

"He's my _partner_ Nell."

"Yes."

"And... he annoys me, often."

"Perhaps."

"And he never shaves."

"True."

"He's too handsome for words." Nell just smiled. "And he's got the greatest smile, and he's funny and he makes me laugh even when I want to be annoyed or angry. He's great with kids, and so kind...and he... _shit_." Kensi flopped back. "I've got it bad."

"Yes you do," Nell agreed all to happily.

"This is a huge problem Nell! It's Deeks. It's my partner. It could have adverse effects on how we preform out duties."

"You already feel for him the way that you do Kensi," Nell said. "It hasn't effected your judgement, you haven't put his or your own life before that of civilians. In fact the two of you have grown to trust each other, you know what the other is going to do during an operation, you can look at each other and formulate plans. You're close already." Nell shrugged.

"Is it hard?" Kensi asked. "To be with Callen knowing, seeing all the dangerous stuff."

Nell bit her lip, she was much more comfortable discussing Kensi's issues than her own. "Yes, and no." Nell grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it tightly to her body. "Sometimes it's really hard to watch shoot outs and bomb explosions... him making out with some bimbo." Kensi grinned a little at the jealousy she could hear in the younger woman's voice. "He'll come back to the office with bruises and split lips and I always have that fear that he won't come back at all." Kensi frowned upon noticing the tears welling up in Nell's eyes. "But being there to see it means I actually _know_. I don't have to lie to him and tell him I'm a tv news editor and he doesn't have to tell me he's an accountant, and I'm sure Sam tries to down play what happens to his wife but Callen can't do that to me. _I already know_. So we don't have to lie to each other, and I can watch his back from the ops centre and sometimes that's stressful... sometimes everything hinges on one little scrap of intel and if it's wrong..." Nell let out a little sigh and shrugged. "But I love him." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Nell's hand flew to her mouth and covered it. Her eyes wide and buggy.

"You okay?" Kensi asked.

"I can't believe I just said that."

Kensi sat up straighter and studied the younger woman. "You two have been together six months and neither of you have said 'I love you?'"

Nell shook her head. "Neither of us are so good in long term relationships. I think we're afraid to jinks it... what if I just jinxed it!

"I don't believe in jinxes, you'll be fine," Kensi insisted. "Sam says I should try a third date," Kensi said carefully. "What do you think?"

"I think you've got it bad for Marty," Nell responded.

"Yeah, but what if I've got love and lust all mixed up?" Kensi asked. "What if I'm just interested in getting laid, it's been a long while," Kensi admitted. "If I end up just sleeping with Deeks and finding out it was just lust and he should have stayed my partner, I'd kill everything between us, our bond, our friendship. How do I risk that?"

Nell sat quietly for a minute. "Do the third date," she said finally. "If it feels right, sleep with Ethan, but if Deeks crosses your mind- run out of that bedroom as fast as you can. If it's love, you'll leave. If it's lust, you'll stay."

Kensi though about it for a minute. "You're wise beyond your years Nell."

"I know," Nell responded happily.


	8. Chapter 8

Eric had taken a personal day, he hadn't intended on it but the second he came into the office Hetty had shooed him back out telling him to get some more rest. Apparently Callen had filled her in on the entire nights events and told Eric that Nell could handle his station for the day. He'd used the time to help Bethany clean up her apartment, he'd offered to let her stay at his place but she told him that she wasn't about to let David scare her from her own home. Instead they installed two deadbolts and a industrial strength chain to the door.

Her fingers were chilly as they brushed along his jaw line. "He really hurt you," she whispered. "I'm so sorry Eric."

"I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to call you back," Eric said. "I should have sent you a text or something. Though I'm kind of glad now that I came to apologise in person. Did he... hurt you?"

Bethany shook her head. "David is an asshole, but he's never hit me or anything like that. He'd break things when he'd get angry, but nothing ever like this," her hands generalized her house area. "But... he's hit other people when they'd get close to me." She said sadly. "I just want the divorce, I just want him out of my life. What is he even doing here? He hates LA!" Her eyes were getting watery again and Eric pulled her into him from where he was sitting in the only unscathed pieces of furniture- one of the three bean bag chairs she owned, currently in the paint speckled one. She curled up in his lap, her head resting against his chest. "I don't know what I'd do with out you Eric."

He responded with a kiss to the top of her head and tightened his arms around her because he wasn't sure what he'd do with out her.

::

"Pancakes!" Zoe was screaming as she ran around the house. "Pancakes! Pancakes!"

Sam looked at the time, he had to leave for work soon. "Sorry sweetheart, I don't have time to make pancakes."

Zoe stopped, her hands curled into fists, her bottom lip protruded in a pout and begun to quiver and Sam knew what was coming. She took in a few gulps of air and let out a howl. "Pancakes! I want pancakes Daddy!"

Zachary came out in his pajamas rubbing a fist to his eye. "Quiet Zoe!"

"Pancakes!" She cried again.

Zachary grabbed the step ladder put it in front of the fridge and used the extra height to open the freezer. He grabbed a box of frozen pancakes and stepped down. He walked over and passed them to Sam. "She doesn't know the difference between homemade and frozen," Zachary said dead-panned. "Put them in the toaster and get her to be quiet." Zachary turned and headed back to his bedroom.

Sam stood shocked in place for a long second before Zoe started screaming over pancakes again. He hurried to toast them, slathered them with maple syrup and cut them into little bits as Michelle came out. "Finally discovered frozen, huh?"

"She woke Zachary with her tantrum," Sam responded.

"Thanks Daddy," Zoe said when he put the plate in front of her and handed her a fork.

::

"Where are my pants?"

"Where were you last wearing them?" Nell asked as she ate a plain waffle like a cookie in the doorway to his bedroom. They'd been tired after a eighteen hour day, and instead of going to Nell's where there was a bed, they'd gone back to Callen's place which was closer.

She figured a night on the floor couldn't hurt, hell Callen was almost twice her age and he seemed fine. Once in the doors she'd stripped off her shirt, which, maybe she shouldn't have because Callen got that _look_ in his eyes and then clothing was discarded in nearly every different part of the house as they tried to get completely naked but also kept wanting to stop to touch and taste.

"I don't remember," Callen said. "It's not like this place is that big, and it's not like I have a lot of stuff for it them to be hiding behind."

"Just wear another pair," Nell said finishing the last bit of waffle.

Callen grinned sheepishly. "All my other pants have somehow migrated to your place."

Nell smiled. "Is that so?"

"It is, now help me look."

In ten minutes they found the pants which Nell now remembered throwing over her shoulder, they'd gotten caught up on a ceiling fan in one of the spare rooms. "Really?" Callen looked at them disbelievingly as he grabbed a pant leg and pulled them down.

She kissed him on the cheek as she got her arms in her cardigan. "I got to get to work." Technical Operators and Intelligence Analysts all came in an hour before the team they provided support for. "See you later."

::

The day had been stressful. Nell had been working alone in the Ops Centre doing both her duties and Eric's. Kensi had to infiltrate an all girls gang for information and she had come back with a split lip and a cut on her cheekbone. Deeks had gotten pinned down in a firefight, but had held the attackers off long enough for Sam and Callen to arrive. They had completed the mission but it hadn't been a smooth ride. Though it rarely was.

"I was suppose to go on date number three tonight," Kensi informed Nell as she stepped into the Ops Centre. "Now look at me." Kensi sat down in Eric's chair and wheeled around in it a bit. "What should I do?"

"Tell him you were mugged, at least you'll have an interesting story to tell."

Kensi snorted a laugh. "Lies, lies, lies."

"You'd have to lie to him anyways," Nell said studying Kensi's expressions. "So what's the difference?"

"You're right." Kensi said. "I'll just... go, follow your advice from the other night, see how it all pans out. It's not like this is the only time I'm going to have to go out injured." Kensi stood. "Thanks Nell."

"No problem, don't forget our nail appointments tomorrow!"

"I won't! See you at work tomorrow anyways," Kensi waved a little as she left the Ops Centre.

::

"Hey Nell."

"I'm a popular girl," Nell said spinning in her seat looking at Deeks in the doorway not five minutes after Kensi had left to prepare for her date. "What's up Marty?"

Deeks came and sat beside her wheeling around in Eric's chair just like Kensi had. Nell smiled. "I was wondering if you might just be able to..." Deeks looked around and wheeled closer to her and leaned in conspiratorially. "Maybe look into someone."

"Who is this someone?" Nell played stupid but she had a pretty good idea.

"Ethan, Kensi's Ethan." Deeks made a face. "That sounds stupid. The dude Kensi is currently dating. I want to know if he has any priors."

"That would be an abuse of power," Nell said wisely. "Why do you want to look into him anyways, from what I hear, he's a prefect gentleman."

Deeks rolled his eyes like he couldn't help it, he then sighed and rubbed his palms nervously over his knees the soft worn out jeans tickling the skin. "It's Kensi... you know, she's my partner, I just... want to know if the guy is clean."

"_Perfect gentleman,_" Nell repeated trying to push Deeks's buttons.

"I want to know she's safe."

"By the sounds of it Ethan is a real nice guy, smart too, good looking."

Deeks was on his feet now. "If you don't want to help, just say so."

"I don't see what my looking into him will do," Nell said but she did bring up Ethan Montague's clean record. "He's perfectly clean. She's my friend too you know." She shot him a wink.

"You mischievous harpy."

Nell smiled. "She's real lucky to have you, always watching out for her. _Like a big brother_." She emphasised pushing his buttons yet again. She watched as the muscle in his jaw jumped in annoyance. She pushed her lips tightly together to keep from giggling.

"I've got to go," Deeks seemed sullen. "See you tomorrow." And with that he left and Nell hoped she had given him something to think about.

::

There was something wonderful about the simplicity of a family outing to the park. Sam caught Zoe as she came down the slide, she giggled with delight. "Again!" She said wiggling from his arms and running to the ladder once more. She came down with her arms in the air. "Weee!" Sam caught her again and put her on the ground where she took off in search of her next great adventure. She and Zachary got on the seesaw and Sam went to take a seat beside Michelle on the bench.

"It's a nice day," Sam noted it wasn't too warm, and the sun was starting to set.

"It is," she responded leaning her head against his shoulder. "They're getting so big," she said as they watched their son and daughter play.

"They are," Sam agreed, one day he was worried about diapers, now it was about school, and later it would be about girlfriends and boyfriends. He watched as they started to run around in the sand. The years just flew by and he regretted all the time he didn't spend with them. He did his job for them... but that meant so much time away from his family.

Zoe fell down and started to cry, Sam started to get up but Michelle stopped him. "Relax, I've got it." Michelle walked briskly across the playground and knelt down by their daughter. Zoe calmed a bit and soon enough she was up running around again.

Sam loved Michelle so damn much, and it hurt every single time he was away. It was painful to flirt with other women, but it was the job...

She smiled over at him and he felt so blessed with his family. She walked back and sat down beside him again. She reached down and took out one of the juice boxes they had brought along and stabbed it with a straw taking a sip. She looked over at him. "What were you thinking about?"

He smiled over at her and kissed her, she fumbled and the juice box became ant food as she got caught up in the kiss too. Sam pulled back just a little. "I was thinking about how much I love you."

"It's really too bad we're in a public park," Michelle whispered kissing him lightly on the lips before scooting away a few inches. "I'd really like to strip you down and..." her words were cut off by a quick kiss.

"Public park, remember. Stop teasing me."

She smiled at him with mischief in her eyes. "You call that teasing, just wait till we get home."

::

Date number three had been dinner and a new comedy flick that had just come out. It had been nice; the romantic dinner, the laughs from the movies and now Kensi and Ethan walked hand in hand down the street.

He'd been worried when he'd seen her split lip, at least she'd covered the bruising and cut on her cheekbone. She told him someone had snatched her purse and pushed her into a wall. He'd been horrified by these events and she wondered what he would do if he knew the truth behind it.

They ended up walking to his place, having a couple glasses of fine wine and chatting on a nice worn down sofa. Then he'd kissed her, and she'd kissed him back. A fire grew within her, she wanted him, his hands caressed her and she ran her hand along his jaw line and touched his hair and she jerked back. For a second she'd assumed it would be long, shaggy and the image of the reality was his was short and dark.

"You okay Kens?"

"Don't call me that," she snapped unfairly. It wasn't Ethan's fault that while she'd been kissing him, she'd been thinking of another man. One that called her 'Kens' or 'Fern' she shook her head. How could this be happening? Why had she just had a great third date and now when she kissed him did she think of Deeks, her partner? "I'm sorry Ethan, I have to go."

"Kensi?"

"I have to go." She ran out of the building and hailed a cab once home she got into her own vehicle with intent of going to Nell's, kicking Callen out and letting it all out. Instead she was surprised when she found herself outside of Deeks's place, but there two vehicles in the driveway. At first she assumed that both the Jeep Rubicon and the Chevy Malibu were out, but when she got closer she realized the Rubicon must be in the garage because the Malibu was out but beside it was a blue Porsche Boxster.

She got a feeling of dread in her stomach. He was seeing someone, surely he was. She'd waited too long and he was a good looking, funny, smart, kind man and now...

She was out of the car and stomping across the driveway and down the walk before she even knew what she was doing. She knocked before she could stop herself. She froze when a tall, male opened the door. This tall male was not Deeks. She blinked and checked the number beside the door. _Deeks is gay_, she thought stunned, suddenly a lot made sense. He flirted with her but never pushed it to physical, sure he acted interested in women but surely it was a cover up, he had a manicure set for hangnails- though admittedly they were a bitch. Maybe the entire reason why he hadn't made a move was because he wasn't interested in her... because he wasn't interested in women.

The man looked her up and down and grabbed her arm pulling her in. "You must be Kensi, I've heard plenty about you, though got to say usually I have to accuse Martin of exaggerating, but he wasn't exaggerating about how stunning you are."

_Great, Deeks's gay lover is flattering me_, she thought bitterly, _just when I was sure my day couldn't get worse._

"Kens?" Deeks came into the room, Monty close to his side. "Everything okay? You hurt? What are you doing here, not that I mind, it's just you don't usually show up unannounced which brings me back to my first question, are you okay?" He was aware he was rambling but was at her side in an instant checking her over.

She pushed him away. "I'm fine."

"You're pissed."

"I'm going to..." the tall male looked around for escape and found it in the dog. "Take Monty for a walk." He grabbed the leash and the man with dog in tow left.

Kensi watched the door shut and she turned back to Deeks. "You're gay."

"Excuse me?" Deeks's eyebrows got hidden in his shaggy blond hair. "No I'm not."

"You're living with a man!" Kensi could feel hysteria rising inside of her. She was in love with her gay partner. Life was a cruel bitch.

"Jax is visiting!" Deeks exclaimed. "He's from Texas, we've been friends for like twenty years! I wasn't going to let him shell out for a hotel when I've got a spare room." Deeks looked offended. "Why would you think I'm gay?"

Kensi was furious with herself, she was flushed red with embarrassment from her over-reaction and was completely off-base with her accusation. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I... I should go."

"Kens," he grabbed her arm and they both froze for a second. He swallowed hard the entire 'big brother' comment Nell had made was still taunting him, and now Kensi thought he was gay. He wanted to bang his head off of a wall. Part of him wanted to prove how **not** big brotherly he was, part of him wanted to show her just how straight he was, just how much she got under his skin and made his blood pump harder, hotter than ever before.

She stared back at him, her lips parted just slightly. "You really straight or do you just not want me to tell the guys."

"Jesus," Deeks let her go and ran his hands though his hair. They stared at each other for a second before he grabbed her wrists pinned her against the wall and kissed her with everything he had trying to convey to her just how bad he wanted her. He broke it before he got too lost in it all, he leaned his forehead against hers and they were both panting from the kiss. "Now do you believe me?"

"I kissed Ethan." It dropped from her brain to her mouth and Deeks leaned away letting go of her turning his back to her. "Marty." She grabbed his arm and could feel the tension in his body. "I kissed him and-"

"I really don't want to hear this," Deeks's voice little more than a growl.

"And the only thing I could think of was you."

They both stared at each other. "I had Nell look into the guy," Deeks admitted quietly. "I wanted something to be wrong with him so you wouldn't be with him. So I wouldn't have to hear about you going on first and second and third dates with some other guy."

Before she common sense could kick in her arms were around his neck and this time, the soft length of his hair greeted them like an old friend, her lips pressed against his in heated demand, his tongue brushed against her lip and she opened her mouth, tongues dancing. Her hand was just under the hem of his shirt, her fingers running over his firm abdomen.

He pulled back. "We should stop." He looked at her lips and just had to kiss them again.

She pulled back. "We should take time to think about this." Her lips claimed his once more.

He pulled away. "You're right, we can't have this messing with our partnership." This time his tongue danced with hers and his hands moved up her ribs, his thumbs settling under the swell of her breasts.

She pulled back and tried to catch her breath, it felt like she'd run a marathon. "I should go," but instead of making efforts to leave her hands danced over his heated flesh her lips getting acquainted with his neck.

He pushed her away and kept her at arms length. "I need to take a very cold shower. Right now."

"Me too."

"We could share," Deeks said his eyebrows jumping suggestively and she laughed.

"That would defeat the purpose. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," he repeated and watched her till she got into her SRX and even then stayed on the porch until the red tail lights disappeared.

::

_**See**_** Densi fans! When have I ever let you down? Ye of little faith. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

Nell wanted to sleep but something loud had woken her and now kept her suspended between wakefulness and sleep. She felt Callen move under her and she clutched him tighter. "No."

"Your phone is ringing," Callen said.

She groaned and rolled over reaching out with her eyes closed until she grasped her phone and pressed the talk button. "Ullo?" She said her voice muffled by the pillow.

"Sorry to wake you," the voice was Kensi's and perkier than Nell had ever heard it.

It took five seconds for the meaning behind the perkiness to click in her brain but Nell shot upright in bed the second it happened. "Oh my God!" She jumped out of bed only wearing a pink tank top and a little pair of yellow panties, she looked at Callen. "Stay there, girl talk." She shut the door behind her and ran into the living room and jumping over the back of the couch and into the well worn pillows. "Lust or love?" Nell had a feeling she knew the answer.

Kensi recanted the story of the date, and of kissing Ethan and thinking of Deeks. She then told her about kissing Deeks **leaving out **the part about Jax and the brief (delusional with nerves) thinking that Deeks was gay.

"Good kisser?"

"Very good," Kensi replied. "We only kissed and I had to take a cold shower when I got home."

Nell giggled. "So now what are you two going to do?"

"Take it one day at a time," Kensi replied. "I couldn't wait to tell you. I had to call you, I'm sorry it's so late."

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad you called." It was nice having a close female friend again.

"Anyways, I should let you get back to sleep, talk to you tomorrow."

"G'night Kensi."

"Good night Nell."

They disconnected and Nell came back into the bedroom. "What was that all about?" Callen asked.

"Lady stuff," Nell said putting her phone back on her night stand and crawling back under the blankets. She yawned and cuddled up to Callen's side, she found he always slept on his back which was fine by her since she used him as a human body pillow. "Tell me the story of how you killed my toaster again," Nell said with a smile.

"I can fix it," Callen's tone both filled with good humour and equal mix faked exasperation.

"First you took it apart and then it burnt everything, then you took it apart and now it doesn't even toast. You killed it."

"I'll fix it."

"And what if I want toast in the morning? Huh? Or a waffle, I can't have either if my toaster is broken."

"It's not broken it just... needs an adjustment."

Nell smiled and his hand played with her hair lulling her back to sleep in the security of his arms.

::

"You forgot the surfboards," Kensi said when she got out of her vehicle wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt covered with a leather jacket for warmth.

Her partner was dressed in jeans, a worn blue sweater and a pair of flip-flops he was sitting on the hood of his vehicle smiling at her. "Nope," Deeks responded passing her a coffee since it was his turn to pick it up. "I figured we could maybe sit here," he patted beside him and she hopped up onto the front end of the Jeep. "And maybe we could watch the sunrise and talk about what happened last night."

"Ah," Kensi responded taking a sip of her coffee. "You kissed me."

"I didn't hear you complaining," Deeks said and she kept facing forward but she looked over at him. He was smiling.

She smiled too. "You're a good kisser."

"So are you."

"So..." Kensi said. "What do you think?"

"You mean about having a relationship with my partner? Like the kind of relationship we really aren't technically allowed to have." It was gnawing on his insides. She'd hijacked part of his brain, he could only think of her, other women simply didn't hold any appeal anymore.

"Yeah," Kensi replied. "That kind." When partners started seeing each other as something more, people upstairs took notice and had the firm belief that lovers could not be partners.

"I think I we'd be good together Kens," Deeks admitted slowly half expecting a punch to the arm. He looked over nervously at Kensi who was starting at him. "I can't get you off my mind." He looked at his mug and took a long sip. "Worse case; superiors step in and transfer one of us. I'll just... go back to LAPD."

"You're wasted at LAPD," Kensi replied heatedly.

"Yeah, well, you're an agent," Deeks said fiddling with the cap on his cardboard cup. "I'm a liaison officer, who do you think they really need?"

She rolled her eyes. "We just won't get caught. We're undercover agents, surely we can just act like ourselves and no one will know... well..." Kensi avoided eye contact.

Deeks sighed. "Who did you tell?"

"Nell."

"Jesus, it happened late last night, and it's six now, when did you have time to call her?"

"I... may have woken her up," Kensi said and Deeks laughed. She looked over at him and bit her lip. "So... we really doing this?" Instead of answering with words, his lips connected to hers and it was a slow burn deep in her belly. He leaned away just slightly and kissed the tip of her nose, he smiled and she smiled back. "I'll take that as a yes."

::

The agents had returned in the early morning after realizing their dead naval officer had nothing to do with leaked intelligence as they had first suspected. The case went to the NCIS office in San Diego and the OSP agents returned to their 'condemned' building.

Callen took the stairs to the Ops Centre where he found Eric running through feeds. "Eric, where is Nell?"

"Filing room," Eric responded. "She's re-organizing."

"Thanks," Callen backed out of the room and went into the lower levels of the building. The filing room was in a side corridor which unless you worked there a long time and stumbled across it or worked in the intelligence department you'd never even know it was there. Callen had worked at the office long enough to know every nook and cranny. The door took an access code and Callen punched his in and the green light was given.

Nell looked over at him from a stack of boxes. "Hey you."

"Hey yourself," Callen replied as he looked around at the mess she had made. "You knw, they're already in alphabetized."

Nell looked at him and then at the boxes. "Some of them were. I ended up searching down here for an hour before I found the 'Hernandez' file in between 'Ramos' and 'Ramera.'" She shook her head. "Someone was careless, so I really wanted to fix it, but then I found more and more misplaced files and decided to do an entire overhaul." He stepped toward her and put a hand on her waist and gently pressed as he continued stepping forward, causing her to step back. "G?"

He moved her three steps left, effectively pinning her in the corner. He pointed up. "Camera."

And they both knew it was the only one in the room and they were in it's blind spot.

"Agent Callen," Nell used his title and last name like a warning. "We're at work!"

He smirked, his hand curving around the smooth flesh of her neck as he leaned down to kiss her. Despite her warnings she had no complaints, her fingers gripping his shirt pulling him closer. His hands smoothed ruffled white shirt under her black cardigan, black slacks made her look a little like the TV News Editor she told others she was. He pulled her closer knowing the truth was much better.

"G," she pulled back and looked at him with wide eyes a flush of red in her cheeks. "Someone's coming."

He listened but heard nothing. "No one is coming."

"I swear I heard..." she listened and Callen moved his foot hitting a box, she jumped and he laughed.

"Nell, no one could sneak up on me except..." he wanted to hit his head off the wall as he sensed movement behind him.

"Me? Mr Callen?" Hetty said her eyebrows up in question. "I suggest you let Miss Jones return to her work."

"She got a paper cut," Callen lied. "I was just inspecting it."

"Is that so?"

"It's fine," he informed her managing to keep a straight face.

"Out," Hetty ordered pointing to the door.

Callen shot Nell a smile and moved quickly around boxes avoiding Hetty. Nell swallowed hard as the door clicked shut quite ominously and she was now alone in the room with Hetty.

"How is that paper cut?" Hetty peered over her glasses knowing full well it was a lie.

"I'll just... get back to work," Nell said biting her lip.

"See to it that you do," Hetty replied as she turned, with her back to the analyst she smiled.

::

"In the filing room!" Kensi nearly shrieked as she sat next to Nell.

The two young women getting their nails done. Nell was blushing as she shushed Kensi who was smiling and biting her lip as if to keep herself from saying more on the matter. "Thanks for informing everyone in a nine block radius," Nell said shaking her head.

"I can't believe you! The filing room. Getting caught by our boss!" Kensi laughed.

Nell became a deeper red as she groaned in embarrassment. "Don't remind me, hows it going with your surfer?" She said trying to get the attention off her. They avoided names as they talked, just incase.

"We talked this morning, watched the sunrise." Kensi said with a shrug. "We're going to try. We're keeping it secret." She looked over at Nell quite seriously. "You haven't told your lover-boy have you?"

"No," Nell responded. "The last person who needs to know, is him."

"No. Last person would be the little ninja... or worse..." She looked over and an understanding passed between them. _Granger_. "He hasn't been around lately. It's nice."

"Very true," Nell still resented the man for sending her with the field team to Bosnia. She still had nightmares from shooting a man dead in self defence. Nell studied her finished nails, a nice french manicure, rhinestones on the right corner of the nails on the left hand, left corner on the right- Kensi had insisted and Nell had succumbed to the peer pressure.

Kensi herself sat back with cherry red nails bedazzled with lines of rhinestones. "Even if it's only for a night," Kensi said wistfully knowing the next day she'd likely break a nail, have chipped nail polish and the manicure looking horrendous.

Both women paid, tipped and left the building getting into their separate cars. "See you later," Nell said with a wave.

Kensi beeped her horn and waved as she pulled out first.

::

Sam finished reading the Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch for the third time and finally Zoe was sleeping. Sam checked in Zachary's room since his son had the habit of breaking out his Nintendo DS and playing under the sheets, but he found the boy asleep.

He found Michelle in their bedroom dressed in a little yellow nightgown. "Got you something," she said with a smile and picked up a slim, wrapped package.

"What's the occasion?" He asked suspiciously as he sat down on the bed.

"No occasion," Michelle replied and leaned forward with a big grin as he took the light package in hand.

He ripped off the packaging and discovered what looked to be a children's book. He stared at it

for a long moment. "Is this your way of telling me you're pregnant again?" He felt lightheaded, Sam loved being a father, but a third child?

Michelle laughed. "No! Read the title!"

He took a deep breath. "Go The...Fuck to Sleep. Really?" He asked laying back and flipping through the pages. Being a father of two, and Zoe being the hardest child ever to get to stay in bed he found the entire thing hilarious. "Where did you get this?"

"Bookstore," Michelle responded as she snuggled up to him. "Read it, laughed, brought it home. Sure beats the hell out of reading the Paper Bag Princess for the seventh hundred time." Sam laughed, he didn't even think he needed the book anymore, he knew every word to the Paper Bag Princess off by heart, it was Zoe's favourite and got read three or four times a night.

He kissed her in thanks, but her arms went around his neck pulling him closer, his hand slid up her thigh under the flimsy material of the nightgown.

"Momma," Zoe's voice came from the doorway and the two jumped apart. "Momma, I'm thirsty."

"Go the fuck to sleep," Sam whispered and Michelle laughed.

"I'll get you some water then," Michelle said getting up, she turned and kissed Sam once again quickly. "Be right back."

::

Eric and Beth had spent the vast majority of the afternoon painting her livingroom vibrant orange. She insisted that change was good and orange was a happy colour, and who was he to argue? She let out a breath and looked around the room, three walls done, one to go. "I'll finish up tomorrow," she told him. "Thanks for helping."

"No problem," he replied. Honestly, he was happy she'd called it a night, he had wicked tension between his shoulder blades from using the paint rollers. She walked into the kitchen and pulled out some mint chocolate chip ice cream popping the lid off the tub, and he grinned. "My favourite."

"I know," she replied with a grin. He sat down at the island and she passed him a spoon. Just as he took his first bite she started rubbing his shoulders. "You look tense," her thumb pressed hard against his spine and he let out a content sigh. "I'm sorry about David."

"Beth," he turned in the seat and pulled her into his lap. "Don't apologise for something that you had no control over."

She looked down and fiddled with a button on his shirt to avoid eye contact. "What if he comes back?" Her voice was quiet, notes of fear lingered.

"I have some pretty big friends." She laughed and kissed him. "What was that for?"

"Being you," she replied.

::

Nell loved her apartment. It was home. She loved the warm colours, the sanctuary which was her room, she'd gotten Callen to help her move her desk to the living room which removed all traces of work or outside responsibilities from the space. She tightened her leg that was tangled around his when she felt him move. "It's late," she said.

He kissed the top of her head. "Go back to sleep Nell." He tried to disentangle himself but her hand that was over his chest pulled back and her other leg served to lock on, her ankles crossed over one another. "Nell," he said softly.

"Don't go G," Nell whispered sleepily. He often got up in the night, once she woke with a great panic thinking he'd left but she'd found him in the kitchen, he'd completely taken apart her toaster-oven and had looked over at her with a guilty expression upon his face. He'd put it back together, he'd done the same thing with her blender and her toaster. Sometimes she woke to find him practising Russian phrases, or Romanian or French. Sometimes he was reading the paper, others he was studying up on foreign affairs. She missed him when he went away, she had difficulties falling back to sleep, sometimes, when he was doing something in the livingroom she'd come out with a blanket and curl up on the couch with him and fall back to sleep with her head on his lap. "Stay," she said softly.

"I'm not going anywhere Nell."

"You're going to take my toaster apart again," she accused. "I won't let you murder him."

A rumble of laughter in his chest that her ear was pressed against. "I put it back together again."

"It doesn't toast anymore."

"Which is why I got to take it back apart," Callen reasoned.

She yawned sleepily. "Stay G."

There was a loud bang and Callen sat upright quickly Nell was left half up and dazed. "What the heck was that?" She asked. Callen was already untangled from her, out of bed and was doing up his pants and grabbed his gun from the bedside table. "Stay here," he ordered.

Nell grabbed her gun from her side of the bed and was grateful she was still wearing her pajamas and took off after him. He looked down the halls, other people were poking their heads out too, he found a door down the hall that's door was open but no one was looking out. A woman screamed and a glass shattered.

Callen ran in the room and was completely aware of Nell on his six. He went to the far side of the door and she pressed her back against the other, she gave him a nod.

He sighed and nodded back before going in gun drawn.

The man and the woman was still fighting, a bruise was already forming on the side of the woman's face as she sat in her living room the man destroying the place. "Federal Agent!" Callen announced walking in the room. The man turned quickly and cursed, there was a knife in his hand. "Put it down," Callen ordered.

"I don't see no badge," The man said waving the knife dangerously.

"This isn't exactly my uniform," Callen responded grumpily, he didn't even have a shirt on. He motioned to Nell.

She went by him tucking her gun into the back of her pajamas and grabbed the woman. "Please come with me." The woman looked terrified but followed Nell out of the room.

"She stole from me, the bitch stole from me, took all my money, cleared me out in the divorce."

"And you seem like such a nice guy," Callen's sarcasm was ill timed and he knew it. The second it left his mouth he wondered why the hell it had. He was a master of control and yet here he was using ill timed sarcasm. The reason dawned on him quickly. This man had gotten in the secure building, through the front locked door, past the security desk, and had been able to break down the door on the first try. That's why he was angry enough to use sarcasm at such a poor time. Someone who shouldn't have had gotten into the building, had.

"Listen you," the man came forward with the knife and staggered, Callen could smell the alcohol on him and quickly shoved the gun into the back of his pants. He sure as hell wasn't going to shoot a drunk guy, even if he did have knife. "This is none of your business," the man said taking a swing, Callen took a step back, easily avoiding it.

Callen waited a beat, grabbed the wrist with knife in hand and gave it a twist, the knife hit the floor and Callen kicked it away, this was not exactly the night he had planned. He kept the man pinned. "Nell, call LAPD."

"I think every one of the neighbours already did," Nell replied.

::

"Is that..." Kensi couldn't believe it.

"Nell and Callen?" Deeks finished as he walked beside her. "Sounds like it." Both he and Kensi had just come in for work freshly showered after their morning surf.

"Sounds like they're fighting," Kensi said quietly.

"Don't tell me what to do Callen!" Nell shouted. The young agent and the detective looked at each other having heard it quite clearly through the doors.

Sam came up to join them. "They still at it?"

"How long have they been fighting?" Kensi asked him but her eyes stayed on the door to the wardrobe repair station located in the hall before the bullpen.

"Since I've been in, so at least ten minutes," Sam replied.

"Any idea what it's about?" Deeks asked.

"Fine!" Callen threw open the door and stormed out completely ignoring the three ease dropping agents.

Nell came out after him, red faced with anger. "Don't you walk away from me!" She shouted and the entire office came to a temporary stand still. All agents pretending to work, but every pair of ears were listening, and everyone was sneaking glances.

"You're late, you should be up with Eric," Callen told her.

"I know what my job is!"

"Keep your voice down," Callen ordered.

"Guys," Sam said coming in to referee and found it was the wrong thing to do when both shot glares over his way. He backed away hands in the air and merged back in with Kensi and Deeks. "Should have left that to Hetty."

"Indeed you should have Mr Hanna," Hetty said walking up behind them. Callen and Nell both sent looks her way. "You two. Filing room. Whatever you have to work out. Do it. Keep in mind though, Mr Callen; it wasn't Miss Jones's apartment, she is a strong, independent woman, but the break in frightened you. Miss Jones; he'd never say that he feared for your safety in so many words, and yes ordering you to move was beyond the line, but he wants you safe."

Both stared at her and then looked at each other. Nell, headstrong headed for the Ops Centre, Callen watched her for a second and then turned to go to his desk.

"Break in?" Kensi whispered.

"That was Nell's place?" Deeks asked and when he got looks from Sam and Kensi he elaborated. "Heard it on the police scanner. Guy with a knife got into a secure building, kicked open his ex-wife's door and came at her."

"It was three doors down from Miss Jones's apartment," Hetty said. "Mr Callen detained him until LAPD arrived." She looked to Sam. "Watch over him," she said before leaving to her office.

"So... I don't understand," Kensi said.

"You know what happened the last time Callen didn't move when he felt something off?" Sam asked, an eyebrow raised. "He got shot less than a block from his place. He feels she's not safe in her apartment anymore."

"He's trying to protect her," Deeks said.

"Stupid way of going about it," Kensi said. "Anyone told me to do something I didn't want to, I'd dig in my heels. I wouldn't want to move either."

"Because you have roots Kensi. You like your house, you like your neighbourhood," Sam said. "Callen doesn't care about a house, a roof is a roof, he doesn't care about location. He doesn't see a house as a home you stay and build a life in. He sees it as a roof over his head until the next one. He doesn't understand."

Kensi looked over to where Callen was flying through paperwork and then up to the Ops Centre as Eric rushed out. He joined up with them and looked up nervously to where he'd come from. "What the hell is up with Nell?" His eyes were wide and the skin around them was still a little bit green and yellow from the beating he'd taken from David. "Do you guys know?"

Sam sighed and explained the situation.

::

Callen came back in at the end of an operation, it had gone smoothly, but Sam's Charger had taken a few bullets and it was left in the garage for repairs. Nell was standing, waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, she reached out tentatively to take his hand and he let her, she pulled him slightly and he followed her to the filing room.

She relished the feeling of his hand in hers. She had beaten herself up the second they'd got an op knowing she'd have to got back into professional mode. She watched him leave and the awful feeling of guilt gnawed on her insides. What if her last words were, "I'm not talking about this anymore! I don't want to be with you if you think you can control me!" Not that she wanted to be controlled, but the more she sat down and analysed she came to the conclusion that starting a yelling match with him wasn't the solution. And more, Hetty's words were stuck on a repetitive loop in her head. Callen cared, that's why he wanted her to move, so she would be safer.

She'd seen from a warehouse cam Sam and Callen ducking behind the Charger to avoid cover. What if he'd been injured? What if he'd died and those were the last things she'd said... or yelled rather... she felt sick. She knew that he wanted her to be safe, and he who didn't even own a bed surely didn't understand attachment to a place.

She waited until the door clicked shut. "I overreacted," she said calmly. "I'm sorry." She studied him. "I don't want to move Callen. I like my place, I understand an apartment got broken into, but a house in your neighbourhood could get broken into too! Things happen Callen, and I refuse to live in fear. I can take care of myself."

"I shouldn't have yelled," Callen said slowly. "And I'm not trying to control you Nell..." he was looking anywhere but her and she frowned at it. She stepped forward and grabbed his jaw forcing his eyes down to hers. They were ice cold, and still somehow managed to set fire to her insides.

"I feel a but coming on," she glared.

"But..." Callen felt guilty. He'd stayed calm during most of the fight, not that he stayed quiet but when Nell's voice got louder, Callen's voice would go lower. Then he'd gone out, gotten shot at and during the entire operation all he could think about was Nell and that shouting, 'fine' and walking away would be the last thing he ever said. Then all the things he never got the chance to say, or just... didn't and then the question came to his mind. _Why didn't you just say it? _He didn't hold much faith in love, or long-term relationships but it had gone on to long to be a fling, and he knew... deep down he loved her. So why hadn't he said it? All the usual excuses fell short. There wasn't an excuse anymore. He loved her. That was it. He pulled her close and kissed her, it was desperate, it was needy and they both grabbed onto each other like a life preserver. When they broke the kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers and whispered. "But I love you Nell."

And just for a minute, it seemed that the world stood still.

::

**The book Michelle got for Sam: Go The F**k to Sleep is a real book. If you look it up on Youtube, Samuel L Jackson reads it- I died a little with laughter. **


	10. Chapter 10

Nell had been afraid of the words 'I love you' in her previous relationships they'd been the words spoken right before it all fell apart. When they'd been said she hadn't felt anything, sensing they didn't mean anything, words said to get further with her sexually, or said to keep in a relationship after a fight. They didn't _mean_ to those men what it meant to her, which is why she'd never said it to a man. She wouldn't lie and say she felt something when she didn't.

But Callen had said it. He'd said he loved her, and this time she heard the utter honesty in the words, she felt it in her heart and in her soul. _She was loved_. He wasn't trying to put moves on her, he wasn't saying it to end their fight. He was saying it in his defence, he loved her and didn't want anything to happen to her.

"Say it again," she requested not trusting her ears.

"I love you," he whispered his eyes never leaving hers.

She closed her eyes and her lips turned up in a smile, she opened her eyes and knew they were watery. "I love you too." She wasn't scared that they were a couple, in a relationship she wouldn't avoid the words anymore. They were in love and it was the greatest feeling to finally hear it said and know it was honest.

He kissed her again, slow and sweet, neither cared about the camera in the corner, neither gave it thought. They were loved and in love and it was all that mattered.

::

"How long is it going to take?" Sam asked as he stood looking at the mess of his car, seven bullet holes in the right side. He sighed unhappily. Sure it had been a convenient source of cover at the time, but the holes really stood out against the shiny black paint and left him with an unsettled feeling. Those bullets could have just as easily ended up in him or Callen. Gunfights were so common they were nearly expected in the agents day to day life. Still the thought of Michelle raising two kids alone, the thought of not coming home at all, of perhaps Callen, or Hetty going to see Michelle, sit her down and tell her that he wasn't coming home.

"Couple of days," Sierra one of the NCIS mechanics replied breaking Sam from his thoughts. "I've put a rush on the parts, called in a few favours." She twirled the wrench in her left hand, a habit Sam noticed every time he seen her whatever she had in her hand got spun around. "Once the parts are in it'll only take me a day, while it's in I'll do a full check up on it, rotate the tires, and change the oil."

"Thanks," Sam replied. "Any chance I can get a loaner? Got to pick my son up from school."

"Sure," Sierra nodded her haunted blue eyes leaving the car and she walked over to the check out station. Sam followed her and she looked over the list of available vehicles. "Got a blue Hyundai Elantra, 2012 model, it's got great safety features."

"I'll take it," Sam agreed and Sierra noted down the car and signed off handing the clipboard over to Sam to sign. She unlocked the key case with her password and handed him the keys that was labelled with the license plate. "Safe driving."

He smiled. "Thanks, have a good night."

"You too Sam," Sierra replied before going back to work.

::

"What happened to the cool car?" Zachary wanted to know as he looked at the car in the parking lot.

"Getting an oil change," Sam lied. "My mechanic friend let me use this one."

"Lame," Zachary said looking at the Elantra. "I like your real one better."

Sam smiled. "Me too kiddo." He got in the car and waited until he heard the click of Zachary's seatbelt before he started driving. "So what did you learn at school today?"

"We got to paint in art class, and we did lots of adding and subtracting in math." Zachary replied. "We talked about the ocean and fishes. And the librarian read us a really funny book about a vampire rabbit! It was really silly Dad. Oh! We got to play soccer in gym! That was a lot of fun, our team won."

"Good job," Sam replied as he waited at a red light.

"Thanks. What did you do today Dad?"

"Talked to clients, shuffled some accounts, boring work."

"Yeah, my day was better," Zachary agreed.

::

The beach was quiet, the water creating peaceful ambience the noise of traffic seemed so far away. Kensi still couldn't quite tell what cologne Deeks used but she knew with out a doubt she liked it, and it was doing it's job of bringing her closer. Much like the tendrils of scent his arm around her shoulders kept her near. Her arm was around his waist, her thumb hooked on his jeans. "It's nice out here," Kensi said quietly. She lived in Los Angeles but that didn't mean she took the time to stop and smell the roses, she had the beauty and the power of the ocean at a short drive away but she rarely bothered.

Deeks; she knew was different, this was his sanctuary, his home, his church, the ocean an old friend and teacher. She looked over to see the smile on his face, he caught her staring and his grin widened. "Want to sit for a bit?" He asked.

"Sure," she replied and the two of them sat in the sand, Deeks quickly ridding himself of his flip flops and Kensi after a moment took off her runners and socks. Simple pleasures such as sticking her feet in the sand were ones long forgotten. She was beginning to understand why the ocean held such allure to her partner.

They were quite for a long minute, neither feeling the overwhelming need to break the silence. It was odd for Kensi to witness Deeks being so quiet, so still, but he seemed so at peace sitting there with her looking out over the ocean as the light from the sun ebbed away behind them. She was use to him talking, but somehow, this new silence suited him just as well.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked him and he looked over at her before laying down completely in the sand, apparently unlike Kensi, he didn't care if he got sand in his hair.

"Lots of things," Deeks responded vaguely.

"Like what?" Kensi prodded and decided, the hell with it, she'd shower the sand out later and flopped down beside him, the two staring up at the darkening sky.

"Like: I need to get groceries." Deeks responded. "And I really want to kiss Kensi." He smiled looking over at her. "And I can't believe that Nell and Callen are flying out tonight and tomorrow Sam is going to be in charge."

Her hand moved over his and their fingers intertwined. "What was that second one again?"

"Hmm," Deeks rubbed his beard with his free hand. "I can't quite remember," he teased.

She rolled on top of him, straddling his waist looking down at him. "I think it was something like this," she said right before she kissed him sweet and soft but it wasn't long before that turned into hot and heavy. Deeks flipped her over into the sand his hands roaming up and under her shirt and her fingers were eagerly unbuttoning his blue and white checkered shirt. "This thing has to go," she said pushing it off his shoulders. "It's ugly."

"I'm rather fond of it," Deeks insisted right before he kissed along her collarbone eliciting a quiet moan.

"We should stop. We're on a beach!" Kensi said.

"Yeah well Jax is still at my place," Deeks responded placing kisses along her neck before getting off of her. "But you're right, we did agree on taking this slow."

"How long is Jax going to be around?" Kensi asked. This comment got Deeks grinning. "I'm not asking because I want to sleep over, I'm just asking."

"Depends, he has a meeting tomorrow, but he got a call early this morning, the woman running the office in Houston... has a problem."

Kensi hit her hand against her forehead. "Really, did you just try to make that one work."

"Sexual encounters screw with my humour," Deeks's words were spoken right by her ear sending a shiver down her spine.

"Say sexual again," Kensi said with a grin.

"Sex-u-al," Deeks annunciated and Kensi giggled. "So this problem in Houston might send him back?"

"He'll likely go back fix up whatever it is they need and then fly back." Deeks shrugged. "Depends on if his personal assistant can fix the mess before tomorrow night."

"You talk to Ray?" Kensi asked her hand running over his jawbone.

"Not lately."

She smiled. "You should call him, tell him our thing is working out."

"I just might," he smiled back.

::

The flight had been too long for the liking of Nell, she hated flying and seen it as a necessary evil. She really didn't want to be driving back to Illinois. Callen hadn't seemed at all bothered by the trip and that only served to further annoy her. He was calmly reading a book and she was trying not to be sick.

He held her hand when the plane landed, and took down their carry-ons from the overhead compartment. Callen only brought the carry-on but Nell had packed like every other woman on the planet, despite it being a four day affair she packed enough clothing for a week, she also had gifts since she had missed Christmas due to work. They stopped by luggage claims and waited with the majority of their flight for the baggage to come onto the conveyor belt. "You feeling okay?" Callen asked her. He was standing behind her, his arms around her petite waist, his chin resting on her head.

"Yeah, I'm fine now that we're off the plane," Nell responded. "Thank you for coming with me."

She felt him shift behind her. "Two o'clock," he said softly. "That them? They're looking at us." She turned her head and from the smile on her face he assumed he was right. She took off in an excited run and right into her mother's arms. They both stood there for a moment, then held each other at arms length, both had tears of happiness in their eyes and then the same was repeated with her father. She lead them both over to where Callen was taking her two oversized suitcases from the conveyor belt. "Mom, Dad, this is Gregory Callen, G this is Alan and Susan."

"Nice to meet you Mr and Mrs Jones," Callen said formally and Nell fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Please, it's Alan and Susan," Susan said happily pulling him into a hug which surprised Callen but he hugged her back before standing back up at full height. "It's so nice to meet you Gregory," she said.

"Likewise," he responded before shaking hands with Alan.

"Let's get you two home," Susan said with smile.

::

"What do you mean?" Jax sounded exasperated when Kensi and Deeks came in. Kensi figured if she was going to be seeing Deeks seriously, she should get to know his friends. "Please tell me you didn't?" Jax now sounded like he'd rather be hit by a bus than be having the conversation he was currently having. "No, no, no. I'm gone for three days and this is what happens?" In his annoyance a hint of Irish came out in his voice. "No! Don't do anything, you've screwed the deal up enough as it is!" And then he hung up his blackberry and threw it on the coffee table and only then did he see that Kensi and Deeks were standing there. "Idiots," he said pointing to the phone. "I employed idiots."

"That sucks," Deeks responded. "Want a beer?"

"Got whiskey?" Jax asked.

"Nope."

"Beer than," Jax agreed and looked over at Kensi. "Sorry about that," he nodded his head toward the phone. "How are you?"

"Good," she responded. "Sounds bad," she said pointing to the phone.

"No, it was bad yesterday. Today it's a clusterfuck. Pardon my language." Kensi smiled and nodded. He took the beer that Deeks offered. "Thanks, Ray called. I told him you were out with Kensi and he just started laughing and saying 'I knew it.'" Jax looked a little confused and shrugged. "Whatever that means. Anyways, he said he'd call back another time."

"He shouldn't be calling at all," Deeks said with a sigh. "Kens, you want anything?"

"Na, I'm good." Both sat side by side on the sofa and Jax smiled.

"I can still get a hotel," he said.

"Sounds like you'll be out of here soon enough," Deeks said with a laugh.

Jax groaned. "I need new staff... I might have to call Delaney to watch over the place for me... and I really don't want to."

"You don't get along with your sister?" Kensi inquired.

Jax took a deep breath and seemed to be trying to decide how to put his feelings for his sister into words. "Delaney... she's..." he shrugged. "She's _Delaney_."

Deeks looked over at Kensi. "Laney is complex."

"She intelligent, she has more energy than a room full of kindergarteners on chocolate, and is the most blunt person I've ever encountered. She could run the business but she might drive me to shoot myself."

Deeks laughed. "Come on, Laney is not that bad."

"I had to spend eight months in the womb with her," Jax argued. "She nearly killed me."

"You can hardly blame her for that."

"Yes I can," Jax responded taking a sip from the beer. His phone went off and he looked at the screen. "I hate how she always calls whenever I talk about her. This is why I never talk about my sister. She does the twin ESP and calls me."

"Thought you didn't believe in that," Deeks said.

Jax sighed. "You'd start too if you had to put up with her." He grabbed the phone and pressed ignore. "I can't handle that tonight."

::

The Jones house was in a suburban neighbourhood, large lots, big homes, fancy gardens and nice cars in the driveway. Callen felt like a kid being shipped off to another home as he sat in the back seat of the car. Alan parked the car and they all got out bringing in the bags from the long journey.

"Everyone is so excited to see you Nell," Susan said, and Callen figured her voice was permanently stuck on excited. "And to meet you Gregory," she said ushering them into the house first.

"Surprise!" The house was filled with people that spoke in unison. Children ran by squealing with delight, there was entire tables of finger foods and deserts which the children stopped to pick off of.

"Welcome home Nell!"

"Hi," Nell responded looking dazed. "Oh my, where is your hair Chase?" She blinked trying to get use to the new do.

"Cut it off," Chase Jones was the youngest and one of the biological children. Nell was use to seeing him with long dark hair but it was cut and styled no more than two inches of length. He pulled her into a quick hug and let go. "Chloe's hormonal. Just a warning."

"I _am not _hormonal!" Chloe responded coldly having snuck up behind him. "Now move it, my turn!" She hip checked him out of the way and latched on to Nell. Chloe was model tall at six two, she was blessed with some wicked curves and long blond hair that was currently fashioned in a long braid. "I've missed you Ne-ne!"

"Missed you too," in their hug they swayed side to side.

"It's the procession of hugs," a man said clapping a hand on Callen's shoulder. "And it's far from over. I'm Christian."

"Gregory," Callen responded and the men shook hands.

Christian looked over at the two women. "Cripes Chlo, you're going to suffocate the poor girl."

"Am not Chris!" Chloe responded sticking out her tongue but she let her sister go and studying her. "Did mom tell you?"

"That you're pregnant?"

"Yeah, that," Chloe beamed and rubbed her belly. "I called you a bunch of times, but you were never home." She pouted but then caught sight of Callen. She looked at Nell and winked as she said. "You're right, he is handsome." She pulled Callen into a hug. "Welcome to the Jones," she pulled back. "Take off your shoes, stay a while."

"This place is like the Bermuda triangle," Christian whispered to him. "Once you come in, you can never leave."

"That's Chloe, she sucks you in with her gravitational pull."

"Riley!" Chloe swatted the older man.

"Hey Ri!" Nell greeted and they hugged. She then touched Callen's arm. "Sorry, this must be overwhelming."

"Been there," a woman with short platinum blonde hair said sticking out her hand for Callen who shook it. "I'm Cynthia, Riley's wife. Don't worry about remembering names, I've been in the family for six years and I still get it all messed up."

::

It took them another half hour to get through the rest of the introductions and Callen who had a knack for remembering things- he had to in order to properly preform ops- was trying to get everything to stay in place.

Steven was the eldest, adopted had gone to Canada to get married to his partner George.

Riley was married to Cynthia and they had two kids Maxwell and Kimberly.

Jeremy was adopted, single, childless, and loving it.

Logan and Lukas were biological and identical twins, they even had identical goatees. Logan was engaged to Nina, but they already had a child Dylan.

All of the above were older than Nell.

Then came Chloe who was married to Christian with a child on the way.

Chase was biological and the baby of the family.

And then there were her cousins.

Callen sighed, remembering all of them just wasn't going to happen.

Music was playing, there were kids running around, people were laughing. Nell was dragging him around introducing him explaining connections, marriages, and children. "I really hope you don't expect me to be able to remember all this."

"I remembered everyone on your side," she said with a smile.

"These proportions are hardly fair!" Callen replied with a smile.

"True," Nell responded as they finally got a chance to sit down at the long table, everyone sorting in for dinner. "But it's family." He put an arm over her shoulder and kissed her lips. Someone wolf whistled, another few started clapping and they broke away Nell blushing.

Everyone finally got settled, other than siblings Maxwell and Kimberly who were throwing bits of cheese at each other. "Cut it out," Cynthia ordered. "Or no desert for either of you."

"Sorry," they both grumbled.

"So when are you two going to have some of these things?" Riley asked with a grin.

"Don't start into them!" Chloe scolded as she sat to the left of Nell, she smiled over at her sister.

"Thanks," Nell said.

Chloe laughed and mocked whispered to Riley. "Lull them into a false sense of security first!"

"Hey!" Nell cried and Riley laughed.

"We talking about grandbabies?" Susan wanted to know as she finally got settled at the table and everyone started passing around dishes.

"No," Nell said.

"Yes," Riley responded.

"Cut it out," Nell kicked him across the table.

"Mom, Nell kicked me!"

"Children," Susan couldn't keep a straight face and laughed.

"Bug someone else about kids." Nell said passing on a food dish to Chloe. "Jeremy doesn't have kids."

Jeremy froze, mashed potatoes on his fork stopped halfway to his mouth. "Don't bring me into this."

"Yeah, Jerry, when you going to start dating again?" Riley's attention diverted.

Instead of answering he flung the fork full of potatoes at his older brother. "Shut it."

Riley shoved his fork into the potatoes and Cynthia grabbed his hand. "Don't you dare," she warned. "Now I know where the kids get it from." Riley sighed and put his fork down but glared at his younger brother. "I'll get you back."

"So, Chase," Christian, master of subtly changed topics said. "Heard you and your band got picked up to open at the music festival."

"Yeah," Chase said with a smile.

"Nervous?" Christian asked.

"Absolutely."

"Chase plays pretty much every instrument," Nell said to Callen. "He plays guitar in the band though."

"What's the band called?" Callen asked.

"The lead singer's Russian, he's been my best friend since we were kids, so it's Russian ночь солнце," Chase said. "It means-"

"Night Sun," they said at the same time.

"Cool dude," Chase said with a grin. "You speak Russian."

Callen nodded.

"Well then," Chase said. "Добрый вечер."

Callen understood it to mean _good evening_. He repeated the greeting and added _Nice to meet you:_ "Ницца встретиться с Вами."

Chase smiled. "Вы слишком." _You too_.

"What are you two talking about?" Nell asked.

"Simple greetings," Callen responded.

"Good thing too," Chase said. "I was running out of things I know. You fluent?"

"Yes," he responded.

"I get learning a second language, but why Russian?"

Nell's hand went over his and he smiled at her before he looked over at Chase again. "I grew up in foster care, one of the houses I stayed at was the home of a Russian family, their daughter taught me."

"You were in the system too," Jeremy said sounding a little surprised. "Did you stay there long?" Jeremy asked.

"Longest I stayed anywhere," Callen responded slowly.

"What's for dessert?" Chloe butted in sensing Nell's tension beside her. "Is it chocolate? I need some chocolate right about now. It's the baby, she wants chocolate."

"That baby is going to be a boy, and you can't use our unborn child as an excuse to eat chocolate," Christian chimed in from across the table.

"She's a girl, and yes I can. Mom is it chocolate?"

"It's chocolate," Susan said looking very happy with the full house.

Chloe stuck her tongue out at her husband before turning her attention to her sister. "Nell, how long you down for?"

"Here till Monday," Nell responded.

"Oh God," Christian said with a laugh. "You'll kill the man in that long."

"He's resilient," Nell said throwing a smile Callen's way he shook his head, but he was smiling.

::

**I don't speak Russian, so anything in Russian that is wrong, it's my fault with the assistance of the internet. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A big thanks to all who have reviewed this story, I can't thank you guys enough!**

::

"When you going to be back around LA?" Deeks asked as he stood outside of LAX with Jax who had received a phone call at two in the morning and had been trying to work it out for two hours over the phone before he just decided to fly back and handle the situation himself.

"Whenever I get this deal back on track, fire a few idiots, hire and train someone more skilled to look after the place when I come back, I have a real estate agent looking for a condo for me here." Jax shrugged. "I'll be around when I'm around. And I won't mess up your deal with the hot brunette." Jax was obviously biting back laughter and Deeks socked him in the arm. "Don't screw it up," Jax advised.

"I'll try not to," Deeks responded.

Jax looked at the time. "I got to run or I'll miss my flight. Stay safe Marty."

"Have a good flight Jax," Deeks responded and they briefly hugged before they went their separate ways.

::

Deeks came into the Office of Special Projects to find Kensi at her desk eating a powdered donut. "Morning Kens," he greeted tossing his bag down beside his desk.

"Morning M-Deeks," she stumbled over her words and looked around for signs of Sam, but when she didn't see him she figured he'd gone to inquire about the Challenger.

"Mmmm Deeks," Deeks said with a grin. "I could get use to that."

"Shut up," she whispered heatedly. "You shouldn't say stuff like that here."

"I say stuff like that all the time," Deeks replied. "It's usually about the time you roll your eyes or punch me in the arm. I'm acting natural," he said flopping down into his chair and wheeling it around a bit. "You're the one who's got her knickers in a knot."

"I don't where knickers," Kensi responded.

"You're not wearing panties?" He said quite loudly and for a second the office stopped the bustling and looked at them.

"Knickers are not the same thing Deeks!" Kensi flushed and threw a pen at his head, he ducked out of the way. She then glared over at the other agents who promptly got back to work. She picked up another donut to help soothe her heightened annoyance and embarrassment.

Eric whistled and they left the bull pen to start the day.

::

Dinner with Deeks- it should be no big deal. Deeks was her partner. Deeks was... well Deeks. It wasn't like this was the first time she'd be going out with him for dinner. They had once while undercover gone to a lavished restaurant... although that ended badly, she recalled. They'd eaten take out at her house plenty of times. They'd gone out for pizza slices if the mood struck. It shouldn't be such a big deal. Deeks was her partner... and now... now he was something else.

Kensi shook her head and looked at the ever growing pile of clothing on her bed. She'd tried on at least ten outfits. She sighed. "This shouldn't be so difficult!" Deeks was her partner, he'd seen her looking her worst and yet he still wanted to wine and dine her.

Her phone went off and she grabbed it as she got up and walked back to face her closet. "Blye," she answered.

"_Hey Kensi!"_ Nell chirped.

"Nell! Hows the trip going?"

"_Good,"_ she responded. _"It's so nice to be down for a visit, I know I told you I'd call when we landed, but I didn't get a chance and then there was a big surprise 'welcome home' party set up when we got here so I couldn't get away for a second." _

"It's not a problem," Kensi responded dancing a little in place to the music she had playing in the living room. She could hear lots of chaos in the background the laughter of small children. "What is so funny?"

"_Callen's showing the kids a magic trick, I didn't even know he knew magic tricks." _

"He once had a cover as an illusionist," she recalled. "I have a problem."

"_What kind?"_ Nell sounded worried.

"What to wear on a date."

There was a little giggle from Nell. _"You're nervous." _

"No." Kensi bit her lip. "Maybe." She sighed. "Yes." Nell laughed again. "I don't know what to wear! What do you think?"

"_Dress, high collar."_

"Really?" Kensi eyebrows raised in surprise.

"_Short,"_ Nell continued_. "You've got the legs, show them off." _

Kensi considered Nell's advice and pulled out a dress that fit the bill. "Could work."

"_Not that one,"_ Nell said. _"The blue one." _

Kensi looked at the black one in hand and then to the blue one in her closet. "How did you..."

Nell laughed. _"Trust me, the blue one, with those nude pumps you have." _

"Alright," Kensi said slowly, Nell was turning more and more into Hetty everyday. Frankly it frightened her.

"_I got to go, Mom's bringing out the chocolate cake. Trust me on the dress, call me and let me know how it goes tomorrow! Good luck!"_

"Thanks, have a good time visiting."

She hung up the phone and hurried to get dressed so she wouldn't be late.

::

Dinner with Kensi- it shouldn't be such a big deal. He stood outside of her door and found he was incredibly nervous. He looked at the flowers in hand, were they corny? Too much? Too little? He rubbed the smooth skin of his chin, he'd actually bothered to shave for the occasion and was increasingly nervous about that. He looked at least five years younger clean shaven, and he had issues with looking younger than he was to begin with. He was wearing a suit, he had been a lawyer, he had a closet full of them, and he'd put on nearly everyone trying to get it right. He'd ended up in a classic black suit, with a dark blue vest.

He studied the bunch of happy looking bright orange lilies mixed in with yellow roses, and a few red/yellow calla lilies. Too much or too little? It was a little late to be having the debate so he knocked on the door.

Kensi peeked through the blinds and then let him in. "Hey," she said, he was surprised to hear the nervousness in her voice.

"Hey," he responded and wondered why he had jitters. It was Kensi. He seen Kensi everyday, they were partners... but seeing each other like this was brand new.

"You shaved."

"I did," he said. "I'm kind of regretting it now. I fell like I'm going to get carded." She laughed and he found himself smiling with her. "Oh," he said holding out the bouquet. "For you."

She had once told the guys that she hated flowers, but that had been before Deeks's time. Besides she didn't _really _hate flowers. She disliked that flowers ended up being tokens that like the love they'd once been a symbol of, they died. Jack had always brought her flowers before he'd gone off to war, and when he'd come back a different man it was like he'd forgotten what they meant to her. It was okay. She understood... but then, just like the flowers, he was gone.

Now, Deeks was handing her flowers and she took the bright and happy looking bouquet. "Thank you," she stuck her nose in them inhaling the scents before she stopped herself. She always tried to be the tough female of the team, she didn't let them see her softer feminine side... but this was Deeks- no this was Marty and she figured she'd have to show him that side now too. For once though, it didn't leave her feeling exposed. He smiled at her and she smelt them again happily.

"Let me get these in water before we go."

"Take your time," he said following her into the kitchen feeling at home in the mess of a house. It was chaotic with things laying everywhere, it was masculine with the weighs on the floor and empty beer bottles left on the coffee table, but somehow, it was Kensi. Maybe it was the lace bra that was hanging on the couch- he was sure she hadn't noticed so he decided not to say anything.

He watched as the stems found themselves soaking up in a glass vase and Kensi sniffed them once again looking... peaceful. She smiled over at him. "Ready?"

He walked over to her and kissed her softly. "Ready," he agreed.

::

It had been an odd day, Eric decided. Sam taking charge, ordering Kensi and Deeks undercover, Sam going alone to question neighbours. Eric had been alone in ops before, he'd worked alone for years before Nell came along, after all he kept getting more and more work and no help. Nell certainly carried her own burden of work, and now he was so use to working with a partner that he ended up trying to keep up with double the work, keeping the agents informed. The office had seemed so strange, the team so empty with out Callen and Nell.

He knocked on Bethany's door and waited until he heard the chain unlatch and the deadbolt slid open. The door opened, Bethany stood there in a pair of cosy looking pink pajamas, a glass of wine in her hand, her eyes were red rimmed and wet with unshed tears. "Hey Eric," she tried to sound happy but her smile looked more like a grimace.

He pulled her into this body and she wrapped her arms around him. "What's the matter?" He asked her.

"Come in," she stepped back and shut the door. "I need more wine. More ice cream too. And some chocolate." She sniffled and grabbed the Kleenex box out of her livingroom. She appeared to have repaired her coffee table with duct tape, the television David had broken had yet to be replaced.

They sat across from one another at her small four person kitchen table. She opened the lid to the Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream and handed him a spoon and dug in with one of her own. He had declined the offer for wine, but from the look of the bottle and the unsteadiness of her hand as she poured some more into her glass it was obvious she'd had more than enough. She took a sip and made a bit of a face, apparently Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream didn't go well with red wine.

He waited until she had a few bites of ice cream and seemed to have calmed a bit before he took her hand in his. "What's wrong Beth?"

She pouted and then her bottom lip quivered and the tears started to fall. "Shit," she whispered wiping them away. "I just want this fucking divorce to be over." She didn't swear often, he'd only heard her say 'crap' twice. "I just want to move on with my life, but I got the divorce papers back again today, more stipulations he wants me to meet, more agreements. I got a bill from my lawyer for this month, it makes me want to be sick." She wiped her tears. "I don't want to dump on you Eric, I'm just having a bad night, I'm sorry."

His hand squeezed hers. "I'm here for you, you know that right?"

She grabbed a Kleenex and took her hand from his so she could blow her nose. "I know," she said getting up to throw the tissue in the trash. "I just want him to sign the damned papers, is that too much to ask? I don't even want anything in the divorce, I'm not even fighting anymore, I just want him to sign it." She took a sip of wine and sat back down. "I went out today, to go for a run like I always do, he was waiting for me on a bench down the path." She shuddered. "He wants me to come 'home.'" She said the last word as if it left an awful taste in her mouth. "He still thinks I'll go back with him."

"And what do you want?" He asked her.

She shot him a look he couldn't exactly read. "I want to be divorced," she said. "I want to never see David again. I want to paint. I want to read a book on the beach. I want mint chocolate chip ice cream at midnight." She stood and sat down in his lap, straddling him. "I want," she said before her tongue licked around the outer curve of his ear causing him to shudder. "I want to paint my room hot red. I want sheets with a thread count of at least 1200. I want candles. I want rose petals. But I could ignore all of that if I had you."

He swallowed hard. "Just how much have you had to drink."

She smiled the first smile he'd seen all night. "Just enough," she replied before her lips claimed his and he tasted the wine on her tongue.

::

The house was blissfully quiet, it was well after two in the morning in Illinois but finally the last of the family had gone home for the night. Callen and Nell sat down on the couch in the living room, she was snuggled up sleepily to his side, his arm over her shoulder. Alan was in a lazy boy chair while Susan sprawled out on the love seat and sighed. "That was a wonderful evening."

"It was," Callen agreed. "Thanks for having me."

Susan smiled. "Oh he's so polite Nell, he's a keeper."

"I know," Nell replied with a sleepy yawn.

"So how did you two meet?" Alan asked.

"The office I work at is near the TV station she works for," Callen explained. "We frequented at the same coffee shop."

"I accidentally spilt coffee on his paper," Nell said with a grin looking up at him. It was strange, the lie coming from her mouth so easily, it wasn't remotely how it had happened, but then again she didn't figure that how they got together was nearly as important as that they were together. Working for the Office of Special Projects, she'd have to lie to anyone about what she did... but with him, she just had to lie to everyone outside of their little bubble. Somehow, she was okay with the lie- if it meant she got to be with him. "Kind of accidentally."

Callen laughed. "Kind of accidentally." The fabricated story came easily from Callen, he was a field agent after all, spinning tales, and playing with words was what he did. "I figure she'd tripped over my briefcase, so I offer to buy her another coffee."

"So we got to talking while we were in line," Nell said. "And he invites me to lunch the next day, it kind of just progressed from there."

"You two going to be able to make it down for Chloe's baby shower?" Susan asked.

"When is it?" Nell asked.

"Not for a couple of months," Susan responded. "But you should try to get here for it. Your sister adores you Nell, it won't be the same with out you."

Nell frowned feeling guilty for an event she hadn't even missed yet. "I'll try."

"And when are you going to start providing me with grand babies?" Susan said appearing to be trying very hard to keep a straight face and failing.

"Mom!" Nell whined. "Don't start! Jeremy doesn't have kids. Lukas doesn't have kids, they're both older!"

"Chloe's younger and she's married and got one on the way." And this Susan shot a look in Callen's direction who simply smiled back at her. "You going to marry my girl?"

"Jesus!" Alan said. "Let the man be! He'll never want to come back, you keep givin' him the third degree!"

"Depends," Callen replied and Nell looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"On what?" Susan asked.

Callen looked completely un-bothered. "Wether she says yes."

::

**No that wasn't a proposal, it was a statement, not a question. But it does give them all something to think about ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

Nell showed Callen to one of the boys room. The house was pretty big, and it hadn't changed much since children started to move out. The room Callen would be staying in was next to the one she and Chloe had shared growing up being the only girls in the family. The one Callen would be occupying had belonged to the twins Logan and Lukas, there were two twin sized beds to either side of the room. The room was painted in stripes of blue and green. Lukas's bedspread was blue, Logan's had been green, children's books, and toys still were located on an old styled book shelf. There were two desks with lamps and chairs pressed up against the wall. There were holes in the wall from where the boys had put up posters of motorcycles and women, bits of paint missing from tape that had held up pictures of friends.

"So," she said showing him the room and flicking on the light. "Bathrooms down the hall, to the right. And, I'm back a door...so...you...um..." she wasn't use to feeling tongue tied, but that was what he did to her. Every time she thought she had him pinned, figured out, another surface would be revealed and he'd say something, or do something that caught her off guard, threw her off her balance and left her head spinning as it tried to catch up. "Were you just saying that?" She had to ask, and she blurted it out. "To placate my parents? Were you saying it because you're playing a part?" She didn't know where Gregory the Accountant ended and where G Callen the man she loved began. Being with a special agent who specialized in becoming someone completely new was frightening. She loved _G_, not _Gregory- _but she wasn't sure on how to separate the two. She wished she could just tell the truth.

"Saying what?" Callen asked, he was pretty which statement it was that she was talking about, but he wanted to make sure.

She glared at him. "You know which one."

He nodded. "I said it because..." he shrugged. "Because I love you I guess. Do you not want to be married?"

She crossed her arms over her chest holding her arms tight as if she were cold. "So, are you talking about marriage to appease me?"

"No." Callen let out a sigh. "You've never spoken about it, no pressure to move forward into any sort of thing. We haven't really talked about it, so it wouldn't be appeasing you." His head tilted slightly to the side. "Does it bother you? The idea of being married? Or being married to me?"

She swallowed hard and flushed. Never even in her wildest dreams or fantasies had she thought of marriage. Maybe it was because she was so terrible in relationships- before him anyways. Maybe it was because she knew her work was so secretive. Maybe because deep down she'd been waiting for it to all fall apart and was just trying to enjoy it while it lasted. Now, now it was real. She had tripped into a crush, fallen in lust, and now found herself captivated in love and she wasn't entirely sure of how it had all happened. How they got to be standing in her brother's bedroom talking about moving forward in life. She'd never thought of being married. Figured she'd end up alone with a couple of goldfish- goldfish wouldn't mind if she worked long hours after all. And now she was thinking of white dresses, and him in a tux at the end of an aisle, it had her heart rate accelerating. "I didn't think about it until just now."

His face kept impassive and kissed the top of her head. "Than I'll give you time to analyse. You should go back to your room before your parents think I've corrupted you."

She nodded and turned away as if in a daze, she froze at the door and looked at him over her shoulder. _Gosh he's handsome,_ she thought. He was dressed in the clothing he'd flown in wearing, a pair of black jeans, and a blue button down shirt, she'd talked him into the dark blue tie. She walked back to him, wrapped her hand in the tie and pulled him down for a proper kiss good night. He pulled her close and gave as good as he got, she wished they'd dished out for a hotel. She wished her parents weren't down the hall. She wished they weren't in separate rooms. She pulled back slowly pulling the knot of the tie until it came undone, she held the silk in her hand before hanging it over the end of the bed. "Good night, G."

"Good night, Nell."

::

It was surprisingly easy, Kensi decided, to be in a relationship with Deeks. They'd started the night nervously, neither quite knowing what to expect. They were partners, they were best friends and now were moving into the territory of lovers and both wanted to step carefully fearful of the mess they could potentially make. The flowers had been a nice surprise, but then again, it was Deeks, that kind of corny little token should have been expected. Still, it was nice all the same. And then they'd had dinner, it was a fancy restaurant, it was obvious he'd spared no expense. They'd had wine eaten dinner, Deeks cracking jokes and she felt herself _relax_. She didn't relax unless she was home, behind locked doors and even then some nights it was hard. But with Deeks, it came natural, she trusted him with everything, her life, her body, and apparently now she was realizing he'd already snatched her heart from behind the carefully erected walls and she wasn't even sure how he'd done it.

"Dessert?" Deeks asked. "I'm thinking one of everything."

"What? One of everything?" Kensi was already feeling full. Maybe split one just to satisfy her sweet tooth, an entire dessert to herself seemed like too much, but every one of the twelve desserts on menu. "What happened to 'a minute on the lips a lifetime on the hips?'"

"Got to live sometime." He looked at her conspiratorially. "Besides we'll be sharing so it won't be as bad. They got cheesecake. Chocolate covered strawberries." She bit her lip, the more he talked, the more her restraint wavered. "Chocolate caramel Truffles- got to try those!" She licked her lips, it did sound really good. "Raspberry tarts, white chocolate mousse-"

"Okay, okay!" She cut him off grabbing his wrist as he held the dessert menu. His stormy blue eyes went to her wrist, his lip curling up just a bit and then his eyes locked on to hers and she swore her heart skipped a beat. Her bare leg slid against the expensive fabric of his pants. "I want it all."

He swallowed hard. His voice quiet, she had to lean forward to hear him whisper. "I'd give you anything." Such utter honesty in his voice, she found herself with a smile on her face. It wasn't the usual 'oh really-sarcasm' smile, or the 'I'm better than you' smile, or the 'triumph' smile. It was that smile that so rarely came out, the soft 'you make me happy' smile. She realized she was still holding his wrist and felt nervous, but he hadn't pulled away so she let her fingers wander up and take hold of his hand, he smiled at her and he moved his hand palm up so he could interlock his fingers with hers.

::

The room looked the same as it had when she'd moved out. The room was painted a bright and happy primary yellow. They had a bunk bed, Nell had the bottom while Chloe had taken the top, there were two desks on the other side of the room. The closet had been divided in half. It had been a good system. Nell changed into her pajamas and crawled into the familiar yellow sheets. She'd enjoyed sharing a room with her little sister, they'd spent nights talking really quiet so no one would know, they would talk about anything, everything, their hopes, their dreams, neither made fun of the other, they'd banded together after they'd lost everything they had once held dear- besides they were two of the youngest and the girls of the family.

She stared up at the bunk above her, she wished she could talk to Chloe. Really talk to her. Tell her everything like she use to... but now she had to hold all kinds of things back. She had to lie, she wondered if she'd even be there for the shower. She knew she should be... but... even being away for the weekend it felt like she was letting the team down, dumping her work load on Eric's shoulders.

She liked that she now had Kensi to talk to. Kensi understood. She could tell Kensi everything, because she knew. She knew what it was like to have to keep things secret. She knew what it was like to be in love with someone she worked with. She could understand the dangers, the risks of not only their bodies but their lives. Callen being a field agent... his could be taken so easily, even the most thought out of ops can go south. She'd witnessed him come back to the office bruised, bloody, sometimes covered in soot from being to close to something that exploded. She'd knew what he looked like in a hospital bed fighting for his life. She knew the scars on his torso were a testament to his survival, and a reminder to her of how quickly he could be ripped out of her life.

The fact that he had thought of marriage at all surprised her, the fact that he though about it _with her _both shocked and delighted her. She figured her work would be all she needed in life, that she was content to make the world a better place, to play her little part. Now... now she wanted this ever blossoming love; it scared her, excited her, it made her smile, laugh, her heart opened and she felt as if she might just burst with happiness.

They could talk about it when they got back. They would have to, it was time. Both had realized that this was no longer just a rush of lust, it was more than being friends with benefits, though looking back she wondered if either were true. They'd both kind of taken hands and fell into a relationship together, they had been a couple long before either had realized it.

Now trying to fall asleep in the twin sized bunk, she missed the warmth of his body, the rumble in his chest as he would talk her to sleep. She had a feeling it would be a long night tossing and turning with out him.

::

They'd left the restaurant warm with the tingles of the wine they'd shared, she'd been surprised when he had drank it with her, but he'd only had a glass and a half early on in the meal before switching to water, while she had nearly three throughout the night.

"I think I'm diabetic," Kensi murmured, so many sweets consumed in such little time. The sounds of Los Angeles met her ears; people were talking, the constant bustle of city life, cars rushing by, sirens in the distance, laughter of friends. "Twelve desserts were a few to many." Kensi allowed herself to indulge every once in a while- after all what if she denied herself chocolate covered strawberries today and got shot tomorrow? She knew she had to keep in tip-top physical condition never wanting her bodily limitations to put herself into danger, or that of her partner, team or a civilian. They'd tried a bit of everything, what had ended up leftover was in a little styrofoam container that Deeks was carrying.

"Nonsense," His arm went around to her lower back as he lead her through the busy street, the heat of his hand warming her lower back. "Sometimes, you got to enjoy the little things." He opened the door to the Jeep Rubicon and he gave her his hand to help her in.

He sat down beside her and buckled up. "I got a new espresso maker," he said. "Want some?"

She nodded and he smiled over at her taking his hand in his. She blinked getting caught up in his stormy blues and before she knew it she was pressing against the confines of the seatbelt leaning toward him and he met her half way, their lips meeting. They'd promised to take it slow- to make sure that they didn't cross any lines they weren't ready to- to make sure they didn't mess up their partnership- to make sure this was what they really wanted, that this just wasn't just some built up lust... that it was something more.

_Click_- his seatbelt was thrown off and his hand was got knotted in her hair. The kiss intensified, passion flared and he wanted nothing more than to strip her down and make love to her. Kensi- not his partner, not his friend, but Kensi his lover.

_Click_- her seatbelt was pushed aside, her fingers carefully undid the buttons on his suit jacket and then pressed against the silk of the dark blue vest. She wanted to touch, she wanted to take off the jacket, the vest, the collared shirt, she wanted to feel what was underneath it all.

He sighed into the kiss, his lips moving feverishly with hers, both new and yet it felt as though they'd done it all before.

She nipped at his bottom lip, kissing to soothe, shivering as his other hand slid down her back. She decided he was in too many layers, she broke away from the kiss and her eyes drank him in. A fine sight indeed. She smiled. "Espresso?"

He licked his lips and nodded before starting up the car.

::

Callen laid on the bed staring at the ceiling for the better part of two hours before he sat up and sighed. Sleep was elusive most nights, but an unfamiliar bed, unfamiliar house, and he didn't have a gun, no, sleep wasn't going to happen.

He replayed the look on Nell's face when they'd spoken of marriage, he wondered if he'd miscalculated, made a bad step. Had he frightened her with the very thought of marriage? Was he serious... yes. Through Sam's prompting he had given it a considerable amount of thought, figuring it would likely come up during the family gatherings he thought about it the entire plane ride flipping pages of a book as if he had actually been reading it. Not a word of the entire novel had sunk in, his mind had been in a completely other place. Instead his the thoughts had taken over his mind...

He had first had to figure out if he wanted to be married. He'd done 'married' for covers- the longest with Tracey, and they'd had a relationship, they'd had a dog... none of it had ended well... and she'd gotten the dog. He'd loved that dog. Still, he had enjoyed playing the role of devoted husband... but with Nell it wouldn't be a role, it would be real and that would be him. Could he be a husband? Would he want to make a run for it? Oddly, he hadn't felt like running in a long while, he hadn't felt like moving... other than to her apartment which he spent more time in than he did his own place, only going to his house when the lawn needed mowing. Maybe if he wanted to be married wasn't the first question to be figuring out...

Did he want to be with Nell? Yes. That was easy to answer, he could no longer imagine his life with out the intelligence analyst. He couldn't imagine going home to an empty house anymore, instead he always crashed at Nell's and more, she wanted it that way too, on the days he went to leave, she'd always ask him to stay. He couldn't imagine not falling to sleep next to her, for the hours that he did get. He couldn't imagine not waking up to her wildly out of control hair, and the smile she always gave him. He couldn't imagine life with out him making coffee while she insisted on a proper breakfast. He couldn't imagine life with out her laughter, her intelligence- she was always keeping him on his toes. Yes, the answer was a resounding yes, of course he wanted to be with Nell.

For as long as either shall live? He realized he had a considerable head start in the years department, fourteen years older he wondered why she hadn't found someone younger, she was certainly beautiful enough, kind, smart, a smile that lit up the room. Since he could no longer picture his life with out her, till death do they part... actually, that sounded a little ominous, especially since he got shot at most days that end in 'y.' But everyday he had left, he wanted to be spending it with her.

And that brought him back to did he want to be married... and the answer he found was yes. He'd never given marriage much thought before, but after being with Nell for seven months, a lifetime for a man who'd never known family, never known home, he just wanted to be with her.

And so with all of that decided his tongue had easily responded to Susan's questioning, but now he wondered if he'd put a strain on his and Nell's relationship. Perhaps it hadn't been the right time to say anything... but this did give them both three days to really think about it all.

He found his way to the kitchen in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. Old habits die hard. He found a screw driver in the drawers and went about taking apart the toaster, the toaster was like an old friend, one he knew how to completely take apart and then put back together. He had little fear of messing it up, and if he did... well then he owed them a new toaster. He emptied the crumbs out first and then got to work on disassembling it.

He flicked through his phone for the language app Eric had hooked up for him and decided to brush up on his Romanian, he pressed play. The app would say a phrase in English, then in Romanian, he understood it and then repeated the phrase. Simple things to keep his mind and body occupied.

The soft voice of the instructor came through, he repeated the phrase, and then answered the question it asked also in Romanian. Still, the language lesson was doing little to keep him from thinking of Nell, his mind was stuck on her.

The toaster was completely disassembled in under a half hour, taking things apart was easy, it was putting them back together that was always the hard part. He was about halfway done at six in the morning when he heard noises and someone coming down to the end of the house he was in. He almost missed the phrase but quickly repeated and answered.

"Did you even go to sleep?" Alan asked as way of greeting.

"Guess I'm not use to the time difference," Callen said as way of excuse. The phone spoke, Callen repeated and answered.

"Practising that Russian?"

"Romanian," Callen replied.

"Something of a linguist are you?"

Callen smiled. "I do quite a bit of travelling." Alan grabbed a bagel and then looked to where the toaster was and then to the mess on the island where Callen was working on putting it back together. Callen looked at the bits guiltily. "Give me ten."

"Mechanical mind?"

"Mostly small appliances," Callen responded as Nell shuffled in.

"You didn't!" She wagged her finger at him. "You killed mine."

Callen groaned. "One time, I've messed this up once. It'll be fine. Your model is just strange. This one is like Sam's, I've taken this thing apart a hundred times."

"Who's Sam?" Alan asked sitting across from Callen and now Nell as she sat too.

"He's like a brother," Callen decided and Nell smiled. He'd missed one of the phrases but he repeated and answered the next one before shutting down the app.

"Ah," Alan said knowingly. "Your brother married?"

"Y-no..." Callen made a face as he popped a piece into place. "He was, and then he wasn't and now their working things out... but technically speaking no."

"He got kids?"

"Yeah," Callen picked up his phone and shifted through before finding one of Zachary and Zoe sitting down in the sandbox at a neighbourhood park. He slid the phone over to Alan. "That's Zack and Zoe."

"There his god-children," Nell said with a grin.

"Cute kids."

"They take after their mother," Callen said with a laugh.

Nell shook her head. "I'll tell him you said that."

::

Despite the fact they had agreed to wait, with out words they had also agreed that, that just wasn't going to happen. _Neither was espresso_. Deeks was having a hard time getting the key into the slot since Kensi had pulled the knot in his tie and it hung loosely over his neck, she'd unbuttoned the first few buttons and was kissing and licking with her wicked tongue along his collarbone. She nipped and he scratched the paint on the door. She looked at the door guiltily and he laughed getting the key in and opening the door for her first.

He shut the door and had her quickly pressed against it. He lifted her legs and she wrapped them around his waist her nude pumps falling to the floor. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers curling into a fist in his hair. He groaned as his body rocked against hers as they kissed, both bodies aroused and desperate with need.

He adjusted his hands as he backed away from the door, his one hand getting a feel of her bottom the other supporting her back as he carried her just like that to the bedroom, kicking the door shut before Monty could run in the room.

Neither had started out the night thinking they'd end up falling into bed. Then again, they hadn't started their partnership thinking they'd be falling in love.

::

**Ah Nallen and Densi, I love them :) Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I don't know what happened, apparently people could read Chapter 13, and then they couldn't. In content/chapter it's loaded, but I also can't see it when I click on Exhale. So... if you're reading this... problem solved. **

::

"Think I should?" Sam asked.

His mother, Eloise, sat across from him with that look that said 'you'd be an idiot if you didn't. "I to this day don't know why the two of you divorced in the first place." The older woman shook her head.

Sam looked back to the object in his hand, the shining engagement ring Michelle had put in his palm when she'd asked for a divorce. Things were back to the way they were before the divorce, better even especially now that she knew who he really was, who he really worked for. All the secrets that had broken them apart were out in the open and the truth had brought them back together. The diamond caught the light and sparkled as it had when he'd first purchased it. It has been beyond his budget, but he'd got it anyways. "Maybe I should get her a different one, a new one."

Eloise scoffed. "That one has sentimental meanings."

"She asked for a divorce and put this thing in my hand," Sam argued.

"You got down on one knee with that ring and she said yes, she wore that ring when she married you. That ring will forever be a symbol of your love for her," Eloise insisted. "Trust me, I'm your mother."

"Daddy?" Zoe rubbed the sleep in her eyes and Sam closed his hand around the ring.

"Morning sweetheart," he replied standing and walking from the in kitchen dining space to the cupboards. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Cereal," she replied blinking a few times and then she smiled and ran excitedly. "Grandma!"

"Hello there little girl," Eloise responded hugging her granddaughter. "My, my, I'm going to stop calling you little, you're getting so big."

"I know," Zoe responded climbing up on the chair by herself. Zoe had always been an early riser, while Zachary would sleep till noon if you let him.

"Lucky Charms, or Cheerios?" He asked looking at the cereal selection.

"Charms!" Zoe responded quickly, he should have known- the kid loved colourful marshmallows. He poured a bowl with milk and set it down with a spoon in front of her. "Thanks Daddy."

"You're welcome," he responded. He looked back over at his mother who was smiling. "What?"

"I'm happy you're back where you belong, son."

Sam understood what she meant, after having been divorced, and moved out of the house being back with his family was something he'd never take for granted. "Me too ma."

"Me three," Zoe agreed though neither thought she knew what they were talking about, it was cute all the same.

::

Eric awoke with that jolt of knowing he wasn't in his own bed. The sheets were too soft, and they were a light yellow in colour as opposed to his that were blue. There was too much light when he opened his eyes and he quickly shut them again. There was a feminine floral scent, and the soft feel of long hair against his chest. He was warm snuggled up to another body... a naked body... and then everything added up.

Bethany's back was pressed up against his chest, her long hair down instead of in it's usual bun or braid, she groaned a bit and rolled over to face him. "G'morning," she said with a sleepy smile.

The cobwebs dusted off his brain and he smiled remembering the full events of the night before. "Good morning," he responded his finger trailing down the bumps of her individual vertebrae, her lower back ticklish and she jolted closer to him trying to get away from his hand.

"You_ know_ that tickles," she accused.

"I do," he said wickedly.

She laughed before she pushed him over and straddled him, he became at a loss of words as he stared up at her in wonder she wiggled against him and his hands grabbed her hips to stop her movements that were incredibly mind-blowing. She smiled. "Checkmate!" Her hands went up in triumph. He glared and tickled her back again not wishing to be out done. She jolted again her hands coming down to his chest. "You don't play fair."

"_You_ don't play fair," he argued.

She shrugged. "Does it matter if we play fair?" She leaned down kissing the stubble on his jaw, down his throat and then licked a trail up to his ear and whispered. "If we both win in the end?"

He swallowed hard, she always said all the right things.

::

Callen was sitting beside Nell eating a bagel with cream cheese- toasted. "Told you I could put it back together," he said with a smile.

She glared at him. "Then fix whatever you broke in mine," she insisted taking another bite.

"Riley phoned," Susan said coming in. "Oh, good morning. My goodness, everyone here is such early risers."

"I don't think Greg here went to bed at all," Alan said with a look at the toaster.

"Oh, was there something wrong with the room?" Susan asked worriedly. "The sheets scratchy? The bed too small?"

"No, no the room is fine," Callen insisted. "I just don't sleep much."

Susan looked worriedly over at Nell as if for confirmation that it really wasn't the room. "Insomnia," Nell said. "The room is fine, he really just doesn't sleep that much Mom."

Susan put in a bagel and then sat down on the stool beside her husband. "So you know his sleep schedule," Susan smirked.

"Mom!" Nell dropped her bagel at the implications.

Susan laughed. "Please, it's not like I don't know you two haven't-"

"Stop! Just stop!" Nell put up her hands. "_Please_ don't!" She looked over at Callen who was studying his bagel as if it held the answer to all of life's mysteries, his face red. "Are you choking?" That was the only explanation, because super badass Special Agent-In-Charge G Callen surely didn't blush.

"Nope, breathing just fine," he replied with a hint of a smile.

"Then you're blushing," she said with obvious joy. He glared over at her and she threw her head back with laughter. "Never thought I'd see the day. See Mom? You shouldn't say things like that!"

"I don't know, that red is surely his colour," Susan said, and this even got Callen laughing.

"So what did Riley call for?" Alan asked so Susan would stop bugging Nell and Callen.

"Oh, yes," Susan's eyes lit up and the toaster popped. She grabbed the bagel and a plate and sat back down. "He and the rest of the kids had a game day set up, wanted to know if we all wanted in." She grabbed the butter and started to put it on the crispy bagel.

Callen looked over to Nell with a questioning look. "Soccer," Nell said. "And basketball, baseball if the field is open. Want to?"

"Sure, if you do," Callen knew this was time for Nell to be with her family, she should use the time however she wanted, he was along for the ride.

::

Kensi awoke warm despite the cool morning ocean breeze coming through the open window. It was the first time in a long time that she woke up _happy_. Not just happy, but content, safe, and warm and in the arms of someone she genuinely cared about... not since Jack. Thinking of him made her mood drop, especially when in the arms of the very handsome Marty Deeks. And all that energy he had about him all day, that drove her nuts sometimes, he happened to be equally energetic in bed. She reached out and moved his alarm clock so she could read the display. One in the afternoon she sat upright quickly earning a groan from Deeks, who's arm was still around her. When was the last time she'd slept in till one in the afternoon? Only on days after a mission when she got to bed at eleven in the morning!

"What-ime-it's?" Deeks mumbled into his pillow.

"One," she responded despite him butchering the English language, she knew what he meant.

"At night?"

"No, in the morning," she laughed and finally he lifted his head out of the pillow. He smiled his eyes grazing over her naked body. "I'm awake," he said his smile turning on like a light.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm hungry, you got food?"

"Yeah," Deeks responded. "But we could just..." his sat up behind her and kissed along the back of her shoulders, up her neck and flicked his tongue causing a involuntary moan to escape her lips. Nails scratched against the door, followed by some pitiful sounds. "Monty!" He jumped out of bed and pulled on jeans.

"Going commando?" Kensi grinned.

"Got to let Monty out, I'll be right back," he kissed her cheek and then was gone in a flash.

Kensi listened to him talk to the dog before the dog opened and closed behind him. She got out of bed and grabbed the shirt he'd worn the previous night and started doing it up over her naked body. She was comfortable walking around her own house naked, but she didn't know about the blind situation at his house.

She quickly went to the washroom and then found herself standing alone in his little home. It was nice, cleaner than hers by far. There was a manly brown leather couch a blanket folded and draped over one of the arms, there was a dog bed beside it, a television across, and a oak table in between. She walked to the windows and looked out, it was a beautiful view, the little lawn, the road and then the beach and the ocean. There wasn't a lot of 'stuff' there were no little knick-knacks. She looked over at the bookshelf, law books shared space with the likes of the X-Men and the Green Lantern.

Along with the books she found a couple of framed photographs. The first picture was of a much younger him and Ray, she smiled at his youth, his hair hadn't changed much, a little shorter then, he looked so young and innocent.

The next picture looked to be taken around the same time but this one was taken on the beach with a little girl. The girl had a bandaid on her knee, freckles over her cheekbones and russet hair, Kensi figured with the looks of Jax, that the girl had to be Delaney. She had an ice cream cone but appeared to be handing it over to Deeks with a shy look on her face.

The last picture was years later, probably end of high school. Deeks hair was actually cut short and it threw her for a minute. Jax was in the picture, younger looking, longer hair, ripped jeans and a leather jacket that was far from the man comfortable in a suit that she had met before. She heard the door open and Monty came rushing in to greet her. She pet him while holding the picture in her hand. Delaney was also in the picture, or who she figured to be Delaney, the girl looked too much like Jax not to be the twin, Ray had his arm around her shoulder and she was smirking at him. And there was a fifth, someone she couldn't place. A male, taller than Ray but shorter than Deeks, brown hair and a smile that said he lived dangerously. She felt Deeks behind her, his arms going around her waist.

"It's the only picture I have of all five of us," Deeks said. "We grew up together in the same neighbourhood. Crappy neighbourhood," he said. "Had to look out for one another, you know?"

She didn't know what living in a bad neighbourhood was like, she was a marine brat, she knew what living on bases was like. "Who's that," she pointed to the fifth.

"Evan," Deeks responded. "Last I heard, he moved to Minnesota." Deeks shrugged. "Who knows with Evan."

"Do you talk to him anymore?"

"No," Deeks responded. "With work I'm just... never home, I don't make phone calls often... neither does Evan, he moves around a lot. Last time I tried to call the number was no longer in use." Deeks shrugged and she felt the body shift since it was pressed so close to hers.

"That Delaney?" Kensi pointed.

"Yep."

"And the little girl with the ice cream cone?"

"Delaney," Deeks said with a nod. "Jax took that picture with his dad's camera. She's just met me but..." Deeks's hands tightened around her waist. "My dad was drunk, I ran scared to the beach. Her dad had just bought her an ice cream cone but I guess I looked pretty pitiful and she gave it to me." Deeks smiled. "It's just who she is, and will always be, that little girl who showed more kindness to me in a second than my father had in his entire life."

Kensi put the picture back and then turned in his grasp to face him, her hands going around his neck. "You always let me in, you don't even think about it. You have all the reasons in the world to be cold, to be cynical, and you're not."

Deeks shrugged. "Who the hell would want to keep you out?"

She smiled. "Good answer."

::

It was a Saturday, so the school yard was deserted as the Jones clan descended upon it. It was decided that soccer would be played first and the teams were drawn by names out of a hat. Nell decided to sit out soccer so she could sit with the pregnant Chloe. The weather was cool, and the children were dressed in sweaters, Maxwell at only eight wanted to play and the rest of the adults knew they couldn't get too competitive anymore.

Susan played referee and kept her foot on the ball as Steven and Riley went up against each other. "Play nice boys, don't make me ground you."

Steven laughed. "I live in Canada!"

"I'll ground you while you're visiting."

Steven shook his head. "Come on, I got a early flight tomorrow, lets not take all day."

Susan blew the whistle.

Callen jumped to attention, being on the right side of Riley. The whistle reminded him of Eric and of work. He half expected the tech to walk over and tell him about some terrorist plot or stolen weapons, or stolen weapons used for a terrorist plot. Riley passed him the ball and Callen passed it over to Maxwell who ran forward with it clumsily before kicking it over to his father who moved it up the field and scored against his wife.

Riley did a little victory dance while Cynthia returned with the ball. "Dance it up, you won't be tomorrow after you spend the night on the couch!" She called to him.

"Come on, it's just a game!"

She laughed and kicked the ball back to mid-field.

"He's so handsome," Chloe said to Nell.

"He is," she agreed as she watched him preform some fancy footwork before passing it over to Christian who took it up the field and passed it back, Callen scored and the two men high fived. "Our boys are getting along too."

Chloe laughed quietly. "Indeed they are." Maxwell wanted in on the high five and both men gave him one. "He's good with kids, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he's really close with Sam's kids." On the confused look she then had to explain that Sam and Callen were like brothers. "They call him Uncle G, it's adorable," Nell admitted as Steven got the ball from Callen and took it down the field before passing it to Jeremy, but Chase caught it and kicked it back into play.

"Soooo... dish, gossip. Thinking about taking the plunge?" Chloe pointed to her own wedding band so no mistake could be made about what she was talking about.

"We've... sorta... kinda...talked about it," Nell replied biting her lip. "Not really, but... he's hinted toward wanting it. You know me-"

"I do," Chloe cut her off. "I know that you don't think about love, and romance but every time you look at him you get this dreamy look on your face like you're planets away." Nell looked horrified and Chloe laughed. "I'm not offending you. I know you love your logic, your facts and cold hard truths... so here is a new one." Callen looked over at the both of them while walking back up the field where the game would begin anew. He smiled and gave them a wave. "See that," Chloe said. "He's got that look in his eyes. He has it bad for you. And that my dear sister is cold hard truth."

Nell smiled. "I know."

::

**Thanks for reading :) **


	14. Chapter 14

When it came time to play basketball, Cynthia and Nina both sat it out with Chloe while Nell went to play. She and Callen ended up on the same team as Steven, George, Chase and Riley's son, Maxwell they played against Alan, Riley, Christian, Jeremy, Logan and Lukas.

Susan held the ball in hand, happy to play referee, she tossed the ball up in the air and Riley got it, quick hands, passes along the court and they got the first points of the game. After a solid ten minutes of playing their team losing. Chase passed the ball to Maxwell who tried to score, but was simply to small for a net so big, the other team retrieved it and got a point. Callen leaned down to Maxwell and Nell wondered what he said to the boy when the smile sparked on Maxwell's face. Maxwell gave a nod and everyone went back to their original positions.

It wasn't until Maxwell got the ball again, standing by the net that she realized what it was they had planned. Callen ducked down and picked the boy up lifting him over his head and Maxwell dunked it. He set Maxwell down who was laughing and cheering. Nell came over and gave him a playful hip check, "I didn't see that move in the play book."

Callen shrugged his shoulders. "You're just jealous because you're too short to dunk too... want me to lift you?"

Nell laughed. "Funny guy."

::

Kensi smiled as both she and Deeks leaned over to look in the little window on the oven. "They smell so good," she said looking at the rising cupcakes. Half chocolate, half vanilla. It was strange, she didn't bake often... rarely ever, usually when she did it was because something was really bothering her. This time thought Deeks just really had wanted a cupcake, so they had gone to the store and after seeing the price for six they decided to make a couple of batches and decorate them themselves.

The timer went off and Deeks found some oven mitts that looked like they needed replacing. The ends were a little burnt as if at one point they'd been on fire, a little whole in the fabric looked dangerous but he seemed aware of all these factors when he took out the two trays of cupcakes.

Kensi sat up on the counter and pulled open the tub of vanilla icing. Deeks stopped her from applying some to the cupcakes. "You have to wait until they cool!"

Kensi shook her head. "Does it really matter?"

"Yeah," Deeks said as if it were obvious before he dipped his finger into the icing.

"Hey!" Kensi cried out. "That's for the cupcakes."

He smirked and Kensi immediately got suspicious but had no time to react before he made an icing line down her neck, stepped between her legs and then proceeded to lick it off agonizingly slow. "I think I know how we can waste some time while we wait." His voice husky as his eyes met hers. She grabbed his finger that still had traces of icing and licked it off, his eyes fluttered shut for a second before opening.

"Espresso?" Kensi replied with false innocence.

He laughed. "Yeah, espresso."

::

Sam was feeling nervous, incredibly nervous as he sat in the kitchen waiting for Michelle to finish getting ready. He felt the pocket of the suit he was wearing and felt the little ring inside. He wanted this new beginning, he wanted to be back with the woman he loved so much.

She came down the hallway, her hair up in her usual halo of curls. She was wearing earing that he recognized, diamond studs that he'd gotten her on their fourth wedding anniversary. Her dress was modest, simple in design and black in colour. She didn't need flashy fashion to draw attention to her, she was gorgeous all on her own. She wore heels, black peep toes, her nails painted silver and they shimmered in the light. "Sorry I took so long."

He felt as if he'd been waiting his entire life for her, and he was fine with it, because now she was here and he was the luckiest man alive. "It's fine," he replied.

Michelle's best friend Lea was babysitting the kids and she came in. "Wow, don't you two make a gorgeous picture," she smiled. "Have fun tonight, don't worry about a thing, I've got it all under control."

And as soon as she had said that the plates in the kitchen started to rattle, a picture fell off the wall. There was a moment where everyone froze. Sam moved past them and into the livingroom. Zachary was already up and grabbing his sister's hand and Sam lead them into a doorway, Michelle and Lea stood in the one across from them.

Zachary sat on the floor, his back to the frame of the doorway and covered his head with his arms like he'd been taught. Zoe's lip started to quiver and then she started to cry. "It's okay Zoe," Sam said picking his daughter up and covered her head with his hand. "It's an earthquake, but it's not a big one," Sam hoped he was telling the truth. Another picture fell off the wall and the glass broke with a smash.

::

Eric wasn't exactly sure how he ended up inside of a trendy club with Bethany. He wasn't sure how she had managed to talk him into it.

... Well... she had been naked at the time of asking, that was probably a factor. She had gone with him, no questions asked to an event he'd wanted to attend, he figured he owed her one. The club had base so loud it threatened to give him an arrhythmia, there were people swaying and dancing, the place was nearly packed to capacity as they tried to move in closer to the bar to get a drink.

Eric hadn't felt it at first. With the amount of people jostling around, with the way the floor seemed to shake with the music he hadn't noticed. He really didn't know until he watched as a glass trembled on the bar counter moving closer and closer to the edge until it fell off. That was when people started noticing, when people started to feel the seismic activity under their feet. Some people were too drunk and with the music didn't notice. Others started to panic, and stamped toward the door.

Eric grabbed hold of Bethany who, from the look in her eyes, felt it too. He looked around, checking the ceiling first, he grabbed her and moved them away from the chandelier they had been standing under to a more secure location. She'd grown up in Los Angeles, so it wasn't her first earthquake, but it didn't mean they didn't scare her. She grabbed hold of Eric tightly and pressed her body to his to avoid being separated in the crowd of people trying to get out.

::

Making 'espresso' had given the cupcakes more than long enough to cool. "I need a nap," Kensi decided as she stretched out on the kitchen floor, laying on a pile of their discarded clothing.

Deeks rolled off of her and laid down beside her still trying to catch his breath. "I need an espresso." Kensi giggled and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and he laughed. "No, a real one." Deeks stood up and grabbed her hand helping her back to her feet and then started the hunt for his clothing versus hers.

"I guess I could do with one too," she said and inhaled the wonderful scent of cupcakes. "And one of those cupcakes, vanilla with chocolate icing and sprinkles." She passed him his blue boxers and he gave her, her lacy white bra. She grabbed it, and he quickly grabbed her hand pulling her into his body and kissing her again. Tongues collided and fought for dominance when Kensi suddenly jerked back. "You feel that?"

Deeks raised an eyebrow and looked down at himself with a grin. "Yup."

"No! Not that! Not that it isn't impressive and all," Kensi said. "But-"

Her words were cut of when his mouth captured hers yet again, his hands roaming over her still naked body. He pulled away this time when the glasses in the cupboards begun clinking as they knocked together. "Aw, shit. I knew I should have bought plastic," he muttered. The knife block fell one sliding out and nicking his ankle. "Son of a-" he stopped and grabbed her pulling her out of the kitchen as the cupboard opened and glasses fell out shattering glass all over their clothing and the kitchen floor.

"You okay?" She asked looking back and seeing the blood trail he left.

"Yeah, it's not deep," Deeks replied as they stood in the living room. Monty came out of the bedroom whining. "Hey buddy." Deeks rubbed the dogs head. "It's okay, just a little earthquake. Not even that bad." He pulled out his phone.

"What are you doing?" Kensi was in a bit of a panic. She was naked and they were in an earthquake and Deeks was bleeding!

"Don't worry," Deeks went over and grabbed something from beside the couch and tossed it to her. She caught it and had to laugh even as she heard more dishes rattling in the kitchen- it was the sea-foam green Slanket. His hand kept tapping at the screen. "According to the wonderful internet it's a 4.9," he said showing her his phone. "Not that bad."

"It's an earthquake Deeks," Kensi replied.

"A little one," he said holding her in his arms.

"A little one is like a three," Kensi argued.

"Minimum damage," Deeks replied. "This is California, you should be use to it."

"Well... at least we have the Slanket."

::

Dinner had been a big, loud, festive event everyone was talking over one another, conversations jumping around. Food was being passed around constantly, laughter struck up, debates over sports.

When it ended there was a general buzzing of clean up and then most people left, Riley, Cynthia, their children running around playing, Chloe, Christian and Jeremy were the last ones left as they all finally got around to sitting in the livingroom. The television was playing the world news but no one was really paying it any attention, there was talk of the baby shower and the women were getting right into it.

Nell and Callen had the love seat, her back leaning against his chest comfortably, his arms around her and she jolted when they tightened painfully. "G!" His eyes were glued on the television and she wiggled in his arms.

He looked back at her and loosened his grip. "Sorry," Callen's eyes went back to the television and hers followed. It was news from Los Angeles, reporting on an earthquake. Everyone seemed to notice the tension in the two and everyone was quiet listening to the reporter. "Four point nine," Callen said. "It's not that bad."

The words didn't matter, both of them were pulling out their cell phones. Nell calling Eric, Callen calling Sam.

"I can't get a hold of Eric," Nell said a panic rising in her chest. What if he'd been hurt? What if he'd been driving?

"Try Kens, Sam! Hey! Everyone okay?"

"_Ah, you heard about the earthquake. Everyone here is fine, minimal damage. Zoe was scared,"_ Sam said. _"Her first one." _

Callen let out a sigh, some of the tension leaving his body Nell felt it beside him. "His family good?" She asked and Callen nodded.

"_Uncle G,"_ Zoe's voice came on the line. _"The world shook! You feel it?" _

"No, Zoe, I'm away remember?" Callen replied. "You okay?"

"_Yeah,"_ she said. _"It was scary and pictures fell down." _He could hear Sam in the background and then Zoe's voice. _"Daddy wants the phone back. Bye Uncle G." _

"Bye Zoe."

"_Hey,"_ Sam said coming back on the line.

"Nell can't get a hold of Eric," Callen said. He looked over at Nell. "You got Kens?"

"Yeah, she and Deeks are fine," Nell replied hanging up her phone and then she tried Eric again.

"_Eric said he had plans with Beth this weekend," _Sam said.

"Got him!" Nell said covering the speaker. "You okay?"

"_Yeah, it's just noise here, I can hardly hear you." _

"Just glad to hear you're both safe," Nell said. "See you in a few days." They disconnected.

Callen passed on the information that the team was okay, other than Hetty, he'd make that call.

"_I've got to let you go, got to see how Mom and Dad are doing," _Sam said and they quickly said their goodbyes.

Susan came out with a pot of tea. "A bit of tea for the nerves," she said, reminding them both of Hetty.

"_Mr Callen, are you and Miss Jones enjoying your time away?" _Hetty asked.

"You okay?" He asked. "We seen the footage from the earthquake..." he said cutting right to the chase.

"_Ah, yes,"_ Hetty said. _"Didn't really think a four point nine would take me down now did you?" _When she said it like that...

"No." Callen said with a smile. "Just checking in. Must miss you or something."

She laughed. _"Goodnight Mr Callen." _

"Goodnight Hetty."

Susan looked to Nell, and then to Callen. "Everyone okay back home?"

"Yeah," Nell replied with a smile. "Everyone's fine." She thought for a moment before turning to Callen. "You better hope a tree didn't fall into your house."

"More likely I've got some dishes to replace," Callen replied.

::

With Susan and Alan watching Kimberly and Maxwell, Riley and Cynthia decided to join the other two couples and Jeremy out to a local bar for a couple of drinks. The music wasn't so loud that they couldn't have a good conversation, there were people dancing on the little space of floor, people playing darts on the other end in a more closed off area, others were playing pool.

Chloe leaned her head against Nell's shoulder for a minute. "Move your butt, I got to tinkle."

Nell laughed and let the pregnant lady on her third water out of the booth. Callen smiled at her from across the table when she sat back down. The boys had all ended up on one side, while the girls sat on the other. She noticed that while Callen appeared relaxed, his eyes kept doing a quick look around the bar every now and then keeping ever vigilant eye on everything.

Jeremy and Riley were currently playing a game of pool to settle an old score. "My husband is such a sore looser," Cynthia noted. "Jeremy beat him last time, my man is in denial."

"And he'll beat him again," Christian said. "Jeremy never loses at pool. Unless he's playing Chloe, but now she insists that her belly gets in the way. She doesn't even have a belly yet." Christian rolled his eyes.

"She send you out for ice cream in the middle of the night?" Cynthia asked with a laugh.

"No. Pickles." Christian said with a laugh. "Pickles is what she sends me out for at two in the morning." He shook his head. "She doesn't even like pickles."

Callen got out of his seat quickly and everyone shifted in the booth to see why, Christian was out of his seat next and Nell followed closely behind when she seen why. Some drunk guy had a hold on Chloe who'd been coming back from the ladies room.

"Hey, she's here with someone," Callen said his arm lightly on Chloe, the other hand gripping painfully and twisting the man's hand off.

The man cursed and threw a punch at Callen who took it because to avoid it he'd of had to back into Chloe hard. Nell pulled her sister back away from the brawl. The man went to throw a second punch at Callen but Christian pulled him back. "Thanks," Callen said realizing his eyebrow was split open and blood was running into his eye. The other man was wearing rings, Callen noted.

There was no time to say anything else as the man went to throw another punch but Callen dodged back and struck the man with a punch to the mid section, when the man folded over in pain he followed it through with a knee to the face. The fight got the attention of the mans friends who came over with beer bottles. "Really?" Christian muttered as he grabbed the empty tray from a waitress and used it as a shield when the man swung the beer bottle, it shattered to the floor and the flat metal disk made a good weapon he used to hit the other man over the head with. Callen took a more traditional hand to hand approach quickly knocking the other man out with a right hook.

Callen and Christian looked at each other and then over to the women who were staring wide eyed. "You okay, baby?" Christian took Chloe into his arms.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Chloe's voice a little in shock.

"You're bleeding," Nell said to Callen.

Christian looked over at Callen. "Thank you."

Callen just nodded and leaned into Nell. "I really shouldn't be here if the police were called," he whispered to her.

"We should go," Nell said.

Christian and Chloe couldn't agree more.

::

Nell tip-toed into Lukas and Logan's room, and wasn't entirely surprised when she didn't find Callen there. She moved through the house and found him in the kitchen. She shot a look over to the toaster which was still miraculously in one piece. "You okay?"

They had stopped on the way back to the house to get Callen cleaned up. He hadn't needed stitches, not that he would admit to needing them if he did. She ran her hand over the top of his head, the little hairs tickling her palm. "Yeah," he replied looking over at her. "Couldn't sleep."

"Headache," she said knowingly seeing the glassy pained look in his eyes as she walked around to find some pain medication.

"I'm fine, Nell."

"Let me fuss," she insisted coming around with a couple of tablets and a glass of water. "Thank you for looking out for my sister."

Callen took the medications knowing Nell would only continue to badger him until he did. "What are you doing up?" For him it was normal, for her it wasn't.

She shrugged drawing invisible designs on the back of his hand. "I miss sharing a bed with you," she admitted. She pulled on his hand and he followed her into the living room she pushed him onto the big couch, she laid down beside him pressing close so she wouldn't fall off, her leg wrapped around his and her arm over his torso, her head resting against his chest. His heartbeat was a familiar lullaby. She smiled. "I missed this."

"Me too," he admitted quietly.

And it wasn't long before the familiar warmth of the other had them both lulled to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

He felt bad, as he looked down at her. She was such a beautiful sight, she looked so peaceful too... "Kensi!" He shouted.

She jolted awake Deeks face a few inches from hers. It was strange to wake up to the face of her partner. She supposed it shouldn't be, considering how they'd changed their status. Still, the beautiful baby blues that were currently lit up like a child's on Christmas, and the wild blond hair was certainly something she could get use to, especially if he was smiling like he was now.

"Come on," he prompted. "The waves look sick this morning, up, up, up!"

She groaned. "We should be cleaning your kitchen!" The earthquake had left a mess of broken glass that neither had bothered with the night before.

"The mess isn't going anywhere, the waves will!" Deeks argued passionately.

She blinked a few times and realized he was already in his wetsuit. Being this close she realized there was two midnight blue pinstripes that ran from the shoulders and then curved over and ran down the sides of his torso, and legs. If getting to see more of Deeks in a wetsuit wasn't incentive enough to get up, she wasn't sure what was. "My wetsuits at home," Kensi complained.

"You'll just have to use Delaney's again, come on! Up!" He went to the closet and pulled out Delaney's wetsuit and draped it over the coffee table. "I'm going to go hook up the boards to the Jeep, meet me outside!" He was out the door quickly before she could say anything more on the matter.

::

The ocean was welcoming, the waves were a little more than Kensi was use to, but she was up for the challenge. There were more surfers out on the particular beach they had gone to. It wasn't one she was too familiar with and it wasn't one they had surfed at together before. Still the white sand and the blue waters were a welcome sight.

"Come on!" Deeks had stopped and turned to her when he realized she wasn't by his side.

She jogged to catch up and they fell into stride together, she looked over at him and couldn't help but smiled, she quickly turned away hoping he hadn't noticed.

::

"How is it already noon!" Michelle asked coming out to the kitchen. She was always woken by the early riser- and non to quiet Zoe. Zoe wasn't in her room, neither was Zachary and the house was too quiet for two children. She turned to see a pile of chocolate chip pancakes, her husband at the stove. She eyed him suspiciously. "First, where are our children?"

"With my Dad," Sam replied easily.

Michelle stepped further into the kitchen studying her husband. He was already dressed in jeans and a form fitting t-shirt that showed off his ink. She was still in her white satin nightgown and felt at a disadvantage, her entire morning knocked off balance by events she hadn't foreseen. "And what did you do?"

"Why do you think I did something?" Sam asked with a laugh. God he was nervous, shaking on the inside. It was a good thing he was an undercover agent or surely she'd _really know _something was going on.

She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her head resting against the back of his shoulders. "Because you're making my favourite kind of pancakes. Which means you did something, or you want something."

"Does it now?" Sam asked taking the last pancake off the frier and putting it onto the stack and turned to hold her in his arms.

Michelle's arms went up and around his neck as she stared up at him trying to read the mask upon his face. She felt as if whatever discussion they were about to have she was going to loose. The scent of the pancakes had her captured, then again, so did the sight of Sam at the stove, it was oddly attractive. Then again, Sam was attractive all on his own, but it was a bonus when pancakes were also featured. She felt as if he were going to want a motorcycle for his 'mid-life crisis.' She didn't want him to have a motorcycle, his job was dangerous enough that he could afford a little safety in the vehicle department. "Definitely, it feels like you're buttering me up for something."

He smiled suggestively.

"Not that something!" Michelle gave him a quick smack on the shoulder but she laughed when he did. "The pancakes would get cold." Michelle said with a suggestive grin of her own, she tried turning the tables, but it rarely worked- he played her like a chess piece always three moves ahead of her.

"I can't make you pancakes?"

"Yes, you obviously are capable," she replied still suspicious of ulterior motives.

He passed her a plate. "You want syrup?"

"No, this is good," she replied taking the plate and he came behind her with the stack of pancakes. She eyed him suspiciously as she cut into the first one. "What do you have planned today?" She asked before taking the first bite, she closed her eyes with a smile. Her man could make damn good pancakes.

"Picking up the Challenger," Sam replied. "Returning the Elantra."

"That it?" She stared at him.

"Yep," Sam replied.

"Huh."

He smiled, she always said 'huh' right as she gave up her suspicions.

She ate another little bite. "These are so sweet, thank you." She leaned over and kissed him and got more than she bargained for when he grabbed her arm and pulled her over. She fell into his lap with a giggle.

"You're so sweet," Sam replied. "How could I resist you?"

"You couldn't," Michelle responded wisely.

"No, I couldn't," Sam said, his voice low and Michelle got suspicious again. "You're so beautiful, kind... the perfect mother."

"Sam..."

"Perfect wife, Mitch, you mean everything to me. I love you so much. I... I got a second chance with you and I swear I would never do anything to mess it up. You, the kids, you're my family the things that matter more than anything." She was smiling her lips touching his, kissing softly before he drew back. "You're my home, you're my life." He pulled the engagement ring out of the pocket of his shirt and the diamond sparkled, her eyes welled up with tears and then she smiled and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Marry me because the only thing I want to do for the rest of my life is make you happy. I love you so much-" The rest of his words were cut off by her lips.

She pulled back crying tears of joy. "Yes, oh yes Sam! Of course!" Her breath was erratic, she wiped away tears as he took her left hand and put the ring on. Her lip quivered, a trait Zoe had picked up and she sobbed.

"You okay?"

She took in a breath but it sounded more like inhaling twice. "Yeah," she managed. "I'm just... so... happy." She took another breath and fanned her face trying to rid herself of the tears. "Oh my God." She looked at the ring. "Back where you belong," but when she said it, she wasn't looking at the ring, she was looking at Sam. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

::

"Welcome home," Eric greeted Nate at the airport.

"Thanks," Nate responded looking weary and feeling worse. He hadn't been able to sleep on the plane home thanks to not one, but two crying children who seemed to be working together to ensure the worst possible flight. "Sorry Hetty hijacked your weekend, I told her I could grab a cab."

Eric rolled his eyes as he adjusted his glasses. "It's fine. It's good to see you back from... wherever it is you go when you're not with us."

Nate smiled just a little, but didn't say anything as they stepped into the parking lot. "Anything new at the office?" Nate asked conversationally as he adjusted his backpack.

"Since you were last here?" Eric shrugged. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"How are Callen and Nell?"

"Good," Eric responded. "Real good actually, they're at Nell's parents."

Nate smiled. "Callen going to meet the parents, wow."

Eric laughed. "Didn't think he had it in him?"

"No, it's not that," Nate shook his head when he seen the VW micro bus monstrosity. God he hated Eric's vehicle, but he got in the passengers seat anyways. "For Callen, this has to be the longest, most real thing he's had in his life. Possibly ever." Nate said tossing his backpack into the back. "So how have you been?"

"Doing my phyc-eval on the way to the office?" Eric asked with a laugh.

"If I remember LA traffic, might as well."

Eric laughed. "I'm good Nate," he insisted.

Nate watched his friends face carefully. "Still taking the sleeping pills?"

Eric shifted uncomfortably as he pulled out of the parking garage, his hands tightening on the wheel for a second before he realized what he was doing, what he was showing to the psychologist. "Sometimes," Eric admitted finally.

"Still having the dreams?"

Eric shifted again, his knuckles becoming white as his grip on the wheel tightened painfully. "Does it matter? I go to work, I do my job."

"This job takes it's toll, Eric." Nate said wisely. "I know it, you know it, all the agents know it. I'm here to help."

Eric looked over at Nate when they got stuck at a red light. "And who helps you when you've got horrors playing over in your eyes?"

Nate's jaw clenched before he could control his reaction. At a stalemate they both went back to looking out the windshield and waiting for the light to turn green.

::

Nell woke and realized there was a blanket draped over her and Callen. "Oh God," she buried her face in Callen's chest, she felt so embarrassed.

"It was your mom," he whispered.

She hadn't realized he was awake, he was breathing deeply, eyes shut. "Faker," she grumbled. She hadn't meant for her mother to see her like this, draped over a man holding onto him fast asleep. "I meant to sneak back to my room."

"You should have snuck a couple hours ago then," Susan said walking in silently thanks to her ultra plush pink slippers. "You were out like a light, all the sports and then being out late must have tuckered you two out."

Nell rolled over and sat up looking at her mom. "This is awkward."

"Please," Susan waved a hand. "I have six boys. There was this one time-"

"No! They're my brothers, I really don't want to know."

"I was only trying to make you feel better, dear."

"Well, you're making me feel worse." Nell's stomach lurched. "Or maybe it was the shots of tequila I had last night." She turned over and studied Callen's face, there was a little cut on his eyebrow, but it was already healing. "How's your head?"

"Fine," Callen responded opening his eyes and for a minute Nell got stuck in the startling blue of them. He sat up slowly now that Nell was off of him and stretched out. He listened for the sound of water running a minute when he didn't hear it he asked. "Mind if I grab the shower?"

"Go right ahead," Susan replied.

He kissed the top of Nell's head and left her for a moment with her mother.

::

The waves had been vicious, and Kensi hadn't been able to stand up to one of them and ride out a single wave. Deeks had. She'd sat out a few, just watching. He was one incredible sight. The power and control he had, but it didn't mean that a few of the waves hadn't ended up showing him who's boss. She watched him topple off the board, but she also watched as he'd ridden waves and it was quite the sight to behold.

He flopped down exhausted on the sand beside her. "What a beautiful day."

"It is," she had to agree, a little natural disaster hadn't seemed to bother any of the Californians either, everyone was out, laughing, talking, having a good time on the beach.

"I'm getting cold in my suit," Kensi said. "I really could use some espresso to warm me up."

"Things you shouldn't say to a man wearing a wetsuit," Deeks said trying to keep his mind off clean. Instead they were wandering to slowly unzipping Kensi's wetsuit and peeling her out of it, she'd be chilly but he'd be happy to warm her up. A little too happy on the beach. He glared at her. "You're a wicked tease, you know that."

Kensi smiled. "I do. We should go dancing tonight."

"Dancing?" Deeks swallowed hard. "You forget all those times I stepped on your feet?"

"I think we're a little more in tune now," Kensi insisted. "Besides, it's not like we'll be performing some old style dance with Hetty there. It'll be club music first of all."

"Not that techno crap right?"

She shot him a glare. "It's dance music, and you know how you dance with that kind of music Deeks?" She smiled wickedly. "You dance close together. Real close together."

"Really?" He responded with a smile.

She nodded. "Lots of hip movements."

"I like hip movements," Deeks replied.

"It's... intimate."

"I really like intimate."

Her voice lowered to a whisper right by his ear. "It's pretty close to having sex with your clothing on."

He swallowed hard. "You're a wicked woman Miss Blye."

She smiled broadly. "I know."

::

"So how old is he?" Susan asked. "He looks about thirty...four? That's eight years Nell."

"He's thirty nine, forty next week," Nell responded plucking at the blanket. "And I know, that's fourteen, but you know what? He's funny when he wants to be, he's intelligent and kind. He loves me for exactly who I am." No lies, no cover stories, he knew her for who she really was. "He looks out for me, looks after me. He makes me smile, makes me laugh. When he's gone, he's all I can think about." She smiled. "He kisses me and the world stops. I love him, Mom. I don't care what our age difference is. _I love him_."

Nell finally looked up at her mother, the ever romantic Susan who was smiling and had tears in her eyes. "I know, Nell. I could see it when I first saw you two together at the airport. You have always dealt in facts, and you've had your nose to stuck in books to notice boys, but... he's a hard one not to take notice of, isn't he? Especially when he looks at you like you hung the moon and the stars in the sky."

She got a little teary eyed. "He loves me, Mom."

"Yeah, Nell, he does."

::

**So much love and fluffiness! :) Thank you to everyone who has left a review! I really appreciate the feedback! Love and Light!**


	16. Chapter 16

Compromise. Relationships are all about compromise. Kensi went surfing with him, so now Deeks was expected to go clubbing with her. He didn't put up much of a protest, he liked spending time with her, besides he knew he'd feel inanely jealous if she went out by herself. He wished he had a cooler car, hell he wished Jax was still around so he could bum the Porsche Boxster he'd rented. He drove the Malibu figuring it didn't really matter what he drove there, they'd either take the SRX because Kensi _always_ does the driving or they'd take a cab.

He parked his Malibu on the street so he didn't block in her car. He looked down at himself and wondered if he chose the right thing to wear. Clubbing in Los Angeles meant a lot of different things, you could go clubbing at the it could be a night of dive bars, or lounges, or karioke night, or strip clubs. He was pretty sure Kensi wouldn't do the last one, but hey, maybe she was adventurous. As he walked up the pathway he decided not to push his luck. Surely the button down solid blue (because she always made fun of the plaid or checkered) shirt was fine, the same with the black jeans, he tapped on the door quickly and waited.

She peered through the blinds and then opened the door. He swallowed hard looking her over. If this was how she always looked when she went out clubbing she should have gone with her a long time ago. The dress was strapless, sweat heart neckline, black lace on a white dress, tight bodice, flowy skirt that landed just above her knees. Her golden skin was scented with something exotic, her hair curled she smelt and looked remarkably sexy. Instead of greeting her with words he wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her to him, his lips went to her neck.

The feeling of his course facial hair was oddly arousing. "You keep that up and we won't be going out."

"I wouldn't mind staying in," Deeks replied pulling back and smiling at her. "If there is anything better than you in that dress, it's you out of it."

She laughed and grabbed a studded clutch from the side table. "Come on, lets go."

::

"I can't believe we're flying back tomorrow," Nell said. She loved her family so much, and even though she'd spent the past three days with them it didn't feel like enough, it felt like they had just landed in Illinois, but the reality was they'd be flying back to LAX tomorrow.

They were doing up the dishes from the meal, everyone helping, more dirty dishes were being piled, where Callen was washing since he didn't know where anything went. Nell had the dish towel and Chloe was sitting in the kitchen with them eating little brownie bits.

"You guys should stay longer," Chloe said with a pout. "Call in sick."

"I prefer my spleen where it is," Callen said. "My boss has a letter opener and knows how to use it." Nell shook her head as she dried off a plate and put it back where it belonged.

"Your boss can't be that bad," Chloe responded before eating more chocolate.

"You're suppose to be eating healthy Chloe!" Christian scolded with table cloths in his arms on the way to the laundry room. "Eat an apple or something."

"It's not me dear," Chloe protested. "It's the baby, she wants chocolate."

Christian sighed and came back a few seconds later having left the table cloths in the laundry room. "The baby is going to be so spoilt. Still in the womb and running the show." Christian stopped and looked at her stomach rubbing it a little. "Maybe you're right about it being a girl." He looked at her pointedly, eyes narrowed. "Already acting like a diva."

Chloe glared never breaking eye contact as her hand reached out for another brownie bite and popped it in her mouth. "So good," she said with her mouth full.

"You just wait, you'll get him on a sugar high when he starts kicking. Then we'll see who's laughing."

"Still think it's a boy."

"Yep," Christian replied opening the fridge and setting an apple in front of her. "Eat it."

"I just had dinner."

"And like eight brownies."

She glared. "I had six." She returned attention to Nell. "Back me up!"

"You should..." Nell bit her bottom lip. "Probably eat a little better."

Chloe rolled her eyes and turned her attention over to Callen. "Greg?"

Callen laughed. "Not a chance that I'm getting involved in this one."

"That makes it two against one, and secretly he's on my side," Christian said rolling the apple and she grabbed it and took a bite.

"Not so satisfying," she pouted.

::

The music at Stellar was a touch to loud for conversation, and by the look of those on the dance floor everyone was talking in body language. The ceilings were high, glass chandeliers hung, teardrops of fake diamonds that shimmered and bounced the lighting from the DJ booth around the club. Everyone was well dressed, so much so that Deeks felt a little under dressed for the occasion. Men were eyeballing Kensi and he quickly, but casually draped an arm around her waist as they moved through the crowd. _That's right boys, she's with me_- he sounded cocky his mind, if he were ever to say it out loud it would be a voice probably filled with disbelief.

Her lips moved but he didn't hear her, he leaned in. "What?" he shouted.

"You going to dance with me?"

He smiled. "I'm here aren't I?"

"So are all these other guys, I could ask one of them if-" her words were ended when his lips met hers, there was a certain amount of possessiveness in it and it surprised her. She blinked when he pulled back, a bit of a smirk in place. He nodded his head toward the dance floor, the music was some hot, fast, Latin number that had everyone moving, swaying and jostling others.

His body swayed in perfect timing to hers and she was more than a little surprised. He hadn't been able to dance in front of Hetty and the guys, kept stepping on her toes. Now he was actually leading her, his eyes stayed on hers and even with out him looking his steps were in time with hers and he stepped on the floor- not her feet. "I thought you couldn't dance?" She spoke loudly in his ear with them being pressed so tightly together, his hips rocking in tune with hers.

"I thought you said dancing was a lot like sex with your clothes on," Deeks had a cheeky grin on his face.

She couldn't help but laugh. "Well in that case... I can see where you get your moves."

He laughed along with her as they swayed in time with the beat and despite being in a crowded room, they felt like the only two in the world.

::

"Eight," Sam said coming into the living room where Michelle was staring at the engagement ring.

"Eight what?" Michelle asked.

"I had to read her the Paper Bag Princess eight times," Sam replied. "I kind of wish the dragon had just stomped on them both."

She laughed. "That's awful!"

"Exactly, it's awful, maybe then she wouldn't want it read all the time."

"So," she said looking at the engagement ring. "What are we to do next. The entire big wedding we had the first time seems so..."

"Unnecessary."

"Yeah," Michelle responded. "Maybe we should just go to the Justice of the Peace and sign the papers."

"That seems a little," Sam struggled for the word.

"It doesn't seem enough," Michelle whispered.

"Yeah. What about something small?" Sam asked. "Your parents and mine. Zachary could be the ring bearer, Zoe the flower girl."

Michelle smiled at the image in her mind. "That sounds nice. A little garden wedding? We'd have to have a few friends. I'd have to have Lea as my Maid of Honour again, Matron now..." She knew his best man had been killed during their time together in the SEALS and she bit her lip.

"I'm sure G would do it. I'd have to bribe him with food."

Michelle laughed. "He'd do it just because, but he'd pretend it was for the food. You'd want your extended family, wouldn't you."

Sam knew who she was talking about and smiled. "Yeah, it would be nice."

She leaned against him studying the ring. "I feel young again."

::

"Go left."

"There are zombies over there!" Beth complained. "Zombies will eat my brains."

"Use the fire axe!"

"Ahh!" Bethany jumped in her seat as her character was attacked from behind her screen got covered in an awful green colour. "A Boomer got me! I can't see!" She jumped from her seat as if getting closer to the television would get her further from the zombies. "I'm dead! Heal me!"

Eric laughed. "I can't, you're dead. I got to wait till you respawn somewhere safe."

"I don't understand how I respawn ahead of everyone and am somehow stuck in an unlocked closet."

"It beats waiting for the round to be over."

"I guess." She sat down on the floor and moved back so she could lean against the couch. "I got killed by zombies. Again. I need to get real good at a game so I can beat you at it." She rested her head against his leg. "Maybe I'll buy Call of Duty."

"You'll never get better than me at C.O.D."

Bethany looked a little offended, and then frowned and nodded in agreement. "Sports games, you don't play sports games."

"Because if I wanted to play sports," Eric tapped the buttons quickly dispatching an undead horde. "I would go outside and play sports."

"Do you?" Bethany asked. "Play sports, I mean."

"Uh, no. Do I look like a guy who plays sports? I do own at horseshoes though."

"Well when I'm in a seniors home I'll get you on my team."

"Ha-ha," he said sarcastically but he smiled and opened the door for her character. She picked back up the controller and joined him. "Do you play sports, I know you play baseball."

"Yup," she replied. "I can play soccer too. I'm not great or anything, but I got a couple of tricks in my cleats. And badminton. I'd kick your ass at hitting that shuttlecock!" Eric couldn't help it, he laughed. "What? Shuttlecock? Shuttlecock! Shuttlecock!" Bethany laughed. "It's what they're called those little cork feather thing-a-magigs! They're shuttlecocks."

"Please stop saying it." Eric was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes and he had to take off his glasses a minute to wipe them away. In the time both of their characters had been killed off by zombies but both were laughing to hard to care.

::

"Just the one bag?" Alan asked when walking by the room where Callen was packing up for the next morning, Nell with the assistance of Chloe doing the same thing in the next room.

"Didn't need more," Callen said. "Besides, Nell packed more than enough for the both of us."

Alan laughed. "Women," he said as if it explained it all, Callen nodded in agreement. Alan poked his head in. "Strange, all the years we've had kids in this house and now everyone's all moved out. It's quiet... at times, mostly it's still a full house at least four days a week."

"I can only imagine," which was true, Callen could only imagine such a busy household, such a close family.

"We were all so sad when Nell moved away," Alan confided. "Susan slept terribly for weeks always worrying about the little girl in the big city. I worried too. She's such a tiny thing, intelligent, but little girl, big city. A father worries." Callen nodded and leaned against the bedframe. "She was pretty excited when she got this TV job. Long hours, decent pay, she had her apartment and had become completely self sufficient... Susan worried she was lonely. So many siblings, always having someone around but now to be alone, big change. She took it in stride though. One thing we both wanted for her was to find someone to spend her life with, but the girl... she had no interest in such things. Trivial to her." Alan smiled and looked over at Callen. "There were blips, moments of interest that waned quickly. And then there was you." Alan frowned. "You're a little old."

"I'll be forty soon." Callen replied.

"You haven't said much about yourself while you've been here."

Callen was quiet for a minute trying to weigh in on how to handle the situation. "I went into foster care when I was five. I go pushed through thirty seven houses between then and the time I turned eighteen. I went to school, got into accounting." Close enough. "I've made family out of friends. I have brothers," Sam, Eric, Renko, hell- even Deeks. "I have a sister," Kensi. "I have a mother... I have mothers." He corrected himself with a bit of a smile, Eloise and Hetty. "I have a house. I have a good job." If not a little dangerous. "And then I met this red haired girl who spilt coffee all over my paper." He wondered if she'd dye it back to red sometime, or if she preferred it brown. He himself had no preference, he liked her however she was. "She breathed life into me. She's so intelligent, witty. She likes her pancakes with blueberries and syrup. She drinks tea, rarely coffee. She gets little lines," he pointed between his own eyebrows. "Right there when she's reading something. She came into my life but she didn't turn it upside down, I think she finally put it right side up. She's the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about before falling asleep." Callen paused a second. "I'm completely in love with your daughter."

Alan smiled. "That's all I need to know."

"One more thing," Callen said and Alan looked at him expectantly. "All that said... hypothetically speaking because it might be a while down the road, but with the distance and all..." Callen rarely felt nervous, but he did right then. "I'd like to ask her to marry me, at some point... would we have your blessing?"

Alan placed a hand on Callen's shoulder. "You both would. I see how happy you make each other, how much you two love one another. How could I say no?"

::


	17. Chapter 17

Kensi carried in the box of donuts while Deeks carried the coffees into work. Despite the shower they'd shared, the scent of the ocean still clung only now it was mixed in with the coconut of Kensi's favourite shampoo. She put the box on the counter and picked out a powdered donut. She'd just been about to take a bite when she heard Eric's piercing whistle and she sighed putting it back.

They took the stairs together to find Sam already up in OPS and not looking happy. "Morning," Kensi greeted a little worriedly.

He gave a nod of acknowledgement before looking at Eric. "Go."

"Everyone remember this guy?" Eric hit a button on his tablet and a face appeared on screen. "Abel Lawrence-"

"I don't."

"You were away with LAPD." Kensi said. "We arrested him in conjunction to a terrorist group here in LA."

"Yeah, well his court date was yesterday, his ex-girlfriend and our key witness," Eric tapped a few buttons and a picture of a dead woman came up. "Lilia Markoski was murdered two days ago, the body was just found."

"Her testimony was _key_ to putting him away," Sam said. "The evidence against him is circumstantial, he had a damn good lawyer. He walked." It infuriated Sam that they knew this guy was guilty but just didn't have enough proof to make the charges stick.

"Tracked his credit card, he purchased a new phone- hacked it, he made one call." Eric brought up the number. "It's a burn phone, recently activated- likely someone from the terrorist group."

"This guy is a bomb maker," Sam said. "The two we traced to him were linked to the death of five people."

"That's pretty small time for a bomber," Deeks said. "Was he going for soft targets, or was he targeting buildings?"

"There weren't enough deaths for us to believe it was the people he was going for... it had to be the buildings, but one building was a used car dealership, the other a convenience store," Sam informed the detective.

"Why?" Deeks said with a perplexed look upon his face. "It doesn't help you make a political statement, doesn't give a death toll... there is no reason to target these places."

"There wasn't a reason we could tell, but we found the same materials made to use the bomb in his workshop," Kensi replied shifting her weight away from Deeks, the scent of him was alluring and distracting. "Markoski told us that he made the bombs, that she peeked into the workshop and seen him making one, with out her testimony, it was all circumstantial."

Deeks got up closer and looked at the pictures on screen of the bomb remains, and the bits and pieces it was made up of.

"You see something Deeks?" Sam asked, he was the resident bomb expert and knew the two bombs were made by the same person. He wondered if Deeks knew bombs, unlikely given his background, but stranger things had happened.

"I worked a case with the guns and gangs department of LAPD once," Deeks explained. "There isn't any reason why those places were targeted, they seem to be just chosen at random right?"

"Yeah," Sam replied crossing his arms over his chest. "So?"

"Initiation," Deeks said. "A lot of the gangs would just point out a person and say to the recruit 'beat him up' or 'shot that guy.'" Deeks shook his head. "Maybe this guy blew up these places to prove himself, and his bomb making abilities."

Sam considered this for a moment. "Makes more sense than anything we've thought of. Good work." Praise was something Callen rarely ever gave, he figured the job being done should be praise enough. Sam was trained differently, a team is made up of components, you have to look after, encourage and work well with the other components to be a good team.

Deeks gave a nod. "Where do we go from here though?"

"We give them a new recruit."

"Does this guy know you're a fed?"

"Me?" Sam asked. "Yes, Callen and I were the ones to arrest him."

"I don't know bombs," Deeks said. "If they're looking for bomb makers... I'm not your guy."

"Bad guys always need attorneys."

"Crooked lawyer again," Deeks sighed. "Do I have to wear a suit."

"Yes," both Kensi and Sam replied in unison.

"Eric, start backstopping," Sam advised. "I'll go clear this with Hetty, Deeks get into wardrobe."

::

Susan was teary eyed all morning, and it was making Nell teary eyed and they'd both had a good cry. "I miss you so much when you're gone," Susan said before blowing her nose again. "You have to try and come to visit more often!"

"I'll try, Mom." Nell responded sniffling as she wiped away tears. She always missed her family so much, goodbyes were always incredibly difficult.

"She isn't even leaving for another five hours," Alan said with a shake of his head.

"Only five hours," Susan said sadly.

The front door opened and Chloe walked in she dropped into arm of the couch beside Nell. "I got to get to work, but I wanted to see you before you go..." Chloe's eyes started to water. "Nell," was all she said before Nell was hugging her. "I'll miss you," Chloe said with a choking sob.

"I'll miss you too," Nell backed away and took out more tissues handing one to Chloe.

"Chris had to work, but he said it was nice to meet you and to wish you a safe flight."

She hugged Callen tightly. "Take good care of my sister," she gave him a pointed look with fierce eyes.

"I will," Callen promised.

::

Kensi sat on the short stool outside of the wardrobe. It was used for tailoring, and was meant to be stood on. Sitting on it, her knees came up to her chest. She always got a bit nervous when her partner went undercover, but it was their lives, and he was so good at it that usually that little bit of nerves waned and adrenalin took over. Their status had changed though. They weren't _just _partners anymore. She had let him in, beyond her carefully built up walls and now she didn't want to let him out.

"How's this?" Deeks asked opening the curtain.

He was wearing a classic black tux, white shirt, black tie. "Plain," she responded. The tux was plain, her partner was not. "Weren't you going to go to the barber this weekend?"

"Next one," Deeks said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

She moved past him and into the wardrobe station, as she picked out a different shirt and tie she heard the click of the metal circles hitting over the bar as he closed the curtain. "What are you-" she was cut off by a hot, demanding kiss, coffee laced tongue. She pushed him away and looked around wildly before giving him another shove. "We're at work!" her whisper was edgy and he smiled.

"It's my alias, he's kind of a playboy."

Kensi rolled her eyes but welcomed the warmth of his body as he pressed against her.

"The red shirt?" He asked eyeballing the one Kensi had set out, with a different slightly patterned grey on black tie.

"Impossible to ignore," Kensi replied quietly.

"I'm coming back," he said softly, his hand cupping her face. "I am coming back."

She looked up at him, she hadn't even voiced her fears but he knew them, could read her like an open book. "I know," she responded. "I've got you back."

He smiled. "Good, now get out of here before people start to gossip!"

::

Members of the Jones family popped into the house when they could to say their goodbyes, it always ended with Nell crying. She always started out strong but the emotions got the better of her.

Her parents drove them back to the airport and stayed with them for as long as they could. "Guess this is it," Alan said giving Nell a solid hug. "Take care of yourself, Kiddo."

She nodded not trusting herself to speak, she'd tried so hard not to cry, but Alan tapped the end of her nose, just like he had when she was little and the sentiment behind it had the tears escaping yet again. "Bye Dad."

"Bye Sweetheart."

"Bye Momma," Susan held Nell for a minute but Nell's crying didn't subside. She wiped the tears.

Susan was stronger by this point having spent most of the morning getting it all out. She wiped the tears under Nell's eyes with her thumbs. "Call me, anytime." Nell nodded. "Love you."

"Love you too."

"Take care of her," Susan said looking over Nell's shoulder at Callen.

"I will," Callen insisted, she having been the seventh person to tell him that. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the hug.

::

Wearing a wire, Deeks got the intel and the operation had run smoothly. That was until a felon came into the mix. A felon wasn't a big deal, the big deal was that Deeks had been the arresting officer. "I could sure go for a coffee right now," he had said. _Coffee_ being his distress word. Kensi was just glad that he hadn't chosen the word _espresso_, neither of them needed that distraction on their minds. The felon told the terrorist group that Deeks was a cop.

There had been eleven men in that room. Deeks didn't have a gun. Kensi, Sam and Nate who'd come along to assist with surveillance were his back up. Sam had gone to hand his back up piece from the glove department to Nate, only to see the psychologist reach into his jeans and pull out a Glock of his own.

Kensi worried about Nate, but he'd held his own in the firefight. Deeks got a gun from the first guy that fell and joined in. Eleven men dead. The four of them stood in the warehouse, each with that sense of relief that always washed over- they'd survived.

::

"You okay?" Callen asked as they were in flight. He knew she didn't' like flying, his arm was draped around her, she'd unbuckled her seatbelt when it was allowed so she could lean into him.

She nodded. "Yeah," she whispered. "Goodbyes are always hard."

Callen didn't have problems with goodbyes, but he nodded as if he understood.

"It'll be nice to get back though," she said. "Get back to work, to home, to my bed, to my schedule, to doing my own laundry and making my own breakfast. Seeing our friends. Getting my nails done," she looked down, the french manicure had lasted pretty well.

"Me too... other than the nails bit. It was nice though... meeting your family."

She smiled. "I'm glad you came."

"I'm glad you invited me."

::

"Drinks," Deeks said rubbing his beard as he sat at his desk. His lip was split open, and Kensi figured he had some intense bruising on his ribs from how he kept shifting in his seat trying to find a place that was comfortable. "We should go out for drinks."

"It's Monday," Sam said with a laugh.

"Yeah, so?" Deeks responded. "Team Deeks one, Terrorists zero."

"Really? Team Deeks?" Kensi said with an eyebrow raised, secretly she was very 'team Deeks.'

"Not only are you referring to yourself in third person, but you are also calling yourself by your last name," Sam said. "And no drinks for me tonight." He checked his watch. "I got a soccer game to catch."

"You watch soccer?" Kensi raised an eyebrow.

"Do when my son is playing," Sam grabbed his bag from the floor and his keys from his desk. "See you two tomorrow!"

"G'night Sam!" Kensi replied.

"Eric!" Deeks called out when the tech went to leave.

Eric stopped. "Yes?"

"Drinks?"

"You, me Kensi?" Eric asked.

"Yeah!"

"Three's a crowd, dude." Eric responded with a smirk. "Good night guys!"

"Does he know?" Deeks whispered over at Kensi with a great deal of panic once the tech was out of sight.

"No..." Kensi responded worriedly. "He couldn't, he was just... having a laugh at our expense. That's all. Still want drinks?"

Deeks made a non committal gesture, a wave of his hand back and forth. "Not really," he responded. "I could go for a coffee though... a walk on the beach to get the kinks out."

"You want the kink out," Kensi smiled wickedly.

Deeks smiled and shook his head. "Always with the mind in the gutter!"

::

**Thank you for reading :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you for all of the kind reviews, I truly appreciate each and every one of them! Happy reading :)**

::

They'd picked up Chinese on the way back to Nell's apartment, both hungry after getting off the flight. They made up their own plate combinations from the food they'd purchased and sat down. "You can't eat Chinese food with a fork," Callen commented with a smile as they sat down next to each other at the breakfast bar since she didn't have a table, not much room in her little apartment for one. She hadn't even noticed the lack of a table before after all the breakfast bar was fine when she was alone, but now she sat side by side sharing meals with Callen she was thinking of rearranging her furniture to fit a small table.

"Yes I can," she replied but she watched with a bit of envy as he expertly used the chopsticks. "I tried learning once. I got to hungry and gave up," she said with a bit of a laugh.

He set his down for a second grabbing the second pair that had been put in the bag and breaking the top that held the two sticks together. He reached around her to put them in her right hand and positioned her fingers. His closeness no longer made her nervous, instead it made her feel secure. His breath on her neck was distracting as he attempted to show her how to use the chopsticks.

"See," he said as he took his hand away and she was still clicking them together. "Just like that."

"Or I could use a fork," she said with a smirk. The chopsticks just weren't very efficient for her, a fork worked much better in her opinion.

"Fine," he said with a mock of exasperation and a piece of pork between his chopsticks. "Use the damn fork."

She giggled and picked back up the fork. They ate in relative silence after that both tiring after the emotions of the day and the long trip back. Nell went through her mail and sorted it. Hydro bill, junk, lease agreement, credit card bill, junk, bank statement, junk. She opened her lease agreement as she chewed on the egg roll. She could feel Callen's eyes watching her. "Yes?"

One eyebrow rose a little bit in interest. "Is that your lease agreement?"

"Yes," she responded picking an large chunk of onion and moving it to the edge of her plate. "My lease is ending this month, it's a paper to sign if I want to stay."

"I was thinking," Callen said. She looked over at him, he still had the chopsticks in hand, but he wasn't eating anything, he was just pushing the food around on his plate.

"Oh really?" Nell said curiously. "About what?" She pushed away the plate, good and full.

"Our accounts don't make sense," Callen said quite seriously finally dropping the chopsticks and turning on the stool to face her. "You're paying rent, I'm paying a mortgage- we practically live together as it is. Doesn't really make sense, does it?"

She smiled, he had a point. All of his clothes had ended up in her closet. The only time he went home was because his lawn needed to be mowed. His toothbrush sat with hers in the orange holder in her bathroom. He was right, they were living together anyways. "You trying to get me to move out of my apartment building?" She wondered if this was his way to get her out of the 'unsecured building.'

"No," Callen responded slowly his hand taking hers, his thumb ran over the back of her hand in a comforting gesture. He couldn't believe how nervous the conversation was making him. It was Nell he was talking to, he trusted her with everything. "It makes logical sense, doesn't it? To move in together. We've been practically living together for the past five months anyways." He did his best to mask the nervousness with calm but he wasn't sure how it was working out.

He did know how she loved her logic, and she figured that wasn't playing fair. "Are you asking because of accounts, and logic?" Nell asked quietly.

His eyes flicked away. It was now or never. Logic... it made sense. These emotions foreign in nature were throwing him awfully off balance. Love he was oddly becoming more comfortable with. This nervousness was not something he was enjoying. His eyes went back and focussed in on hers. "No," he finally replied. "I'm asking because I think we'd both enjoy living together, in one dwelling."

"So if I didn't want to leave my apartment, but I thought this was a good idea..."

"Then I'd move my chair in. And my box. And my chess board... oh and those steak knives Sam got me."

When he put it like that it was really sad, in less than six seconds he'd managed to list off his worldly possessions. Nell knew her list of things to move would be a page long and she'd probably forget something. "So... you'd move in with me?" she asked.

"You're asking?" Callen asked with a smile.

"Hypothetically," she responded with a straight face.

He frowned. "Yeah. Pretty much already have."

"Your place is an actual house," A smile flirted with the corners of her lips. "In the suburbs."

"It's a nice neighbourhood," he said his thumb running over the back of her hand. "Quiet, and nobody is nosey."

She leaned toward him, as far as she could with out falling off the stool, their knees touching. "It's got more room than my apartment."

"It does," Callen agreed realizing she was coming to terms with the idea, the nervousness he'd been harboring dissipating. "Three bedrooms, two baths."

Her bottom lip was captured between her teeth, and it was rather sexy. "Fireplace."

"It's kind of a bonus," Callen said with a slowly growing smile.

She tilted her head to the side. "Back yard."

Callen nodded. "It's kind of small, but it's there."

"Nice kitchen."

His hand rested on her knee. "This is true."

The smile made her eyes twinkle with mischief. "Can I paint?"

He chuckled a bit. "Yeah, sure."

His hand running up her thigh distracted her for a second before fingertips made their way back down to her knee. "May I put flowers in those big stone flower pots you have?"

Callen looked momentarily perplexed. "I have flower pots?"

Nell laughed. "Yeah, big black ones by the door."

"Oh... never paid that much attention." Callen smiled as her eyes lit up. "Yeah, sure you can put flowers in them."

"Okay," she said with a serious expression.

"Okay?"

"Okay, I'll move in with you."

"Really?" He sounded rather surprised.

"Of course G," Nell tilted her head and was stunned by the look of utter disbelief on his face. "Did you not want me to?"

"What? Of course! But... I didn't really think you would."

She stepped off the stool and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, and we are in a relationship." No more 'r-word' for this girl. "And it's logical to go with the bigger place, my lease is coming up the end of this month, I already love living with you. Why not?" She kissed his lips quickly and put a fortune cookie in his palm. "Remember the first time we did this?" She sat back on the stool. "Dinner here? Chinese... fortune cookies."

He grinned. "I do." He opened the cookie, took the paper and placed the treat in her hand.

She liked the cookies, so having him not like them was a bonus, she chewed happily. "What does yours say?"

'A colleague will appreciate your initiative."

"In bed," Nell replied with a grin. "And I do."

He laughed. "What's your say?"

She snorted and then full out laughed.

"What does it say?" Callen said standing as he tried to read it over her shoulder.

She tried to hide it, but he got her hand, he didn't pry it but she opened it and laughed.

"Working out the kinks today, will make a better tomorrow... in bed," Callen read while Nell wiped away tears of laughter. "Well come on," he took her hand with a grin. "Lets work out he kinks!"

::

Kensi walked around barefoot in her house cleaning up, her pajamas were comfortable after the long day. She wondered how long the lace bra had been draped over the cushions on her couch. "Did Deeks see this?" she wondered out loud and then shrugged deciding it didn't matter. He'd seen her in bra's like that one... hell he'd seen her out of bra's like that one.

A smile flirted with her face, her happiness impossible to ignore. She felt ready to burst with it. They were going to meet in the morning for a surf and she found herself feeling like a teenager. She wanted to be with him all the time. She wanted to go to sleep so she could wake to the new morning and spend more time with him. Instead she cleaned house because she knew she was to excited to sleep, which was ridiculous, she seen the man on a nearly daily basis for years now... but she was so filled with the happiness of a blooming love. She looked at the phone and steeled herself not to call.

She put in a load of laundry, which was productive and hell, she really needed something clean to wear. She did the stack of dishes in the sink, mostly glasses since she didn't really cook often. She flopped down on the couch to watch some garbage reality television, and wished that Deeks would come knocking on the door with burgers and beers.

::

It would seem desperate, wouldn't it? If he showed up this late at night. She might see it as a booty call, and that wasn't what he wanted their relationship to be seen as. Deeks came into the house with Monty after their jog. The dog made a bee line for his water dish and drank till he choked. "Slow down, Monty!"

The dog gave him a look and then nosed the cupboards with the treats. "Bossy," Deeks muttered but pulled out a chew stick and Monty took it to his dog bed with great enthusiasm.

He checked his answering machine wishing she had called so he'd have a reason to call her back. They seen each other earlier. He checked his watch, less than four hours ago! That couldn't be right. He tapped the face of the clock and it kept on ticking.

::

It had taken days to come back to his apartment. He'd chosen the rooms of hotels over returning. He wasn't sure what it was that he was avoiding but he decided that enough was enough and drove to his apartment building before he could change his mind. By the time Nate got to his apartment, he wasn't exactly pleased. The place was precisely the way he had left it, only now everything was covered in a layer of dust. Bookshelves lined the walls, psychology, sociology, books on profiling, and ones on depression, anxiety, guilt. He'd read every book on the shelf and more. Anything he thought he could use to better help the agents and agency he worked for.

The apartment seemed different after being away. He checked all the rooms, looked for any indication his place had been broken into and found none. He threw his bags into his bedroom and grabbed the sheets from the closet and made the bed.

The noise of the city was no longer comforting, and did nothing to lull him into security. Every time he came back from assignment he knew he had changed. He could come up with all the psychological reasons as to why, but knowing them did nothing to change him back to the man he had been. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to be that man anymore, he thought it would be rather irresponsible to go back to that point. The things he had done, the things he'd seen, the efforts and caseload he had taken upon himself, it was all for the greater good. He couldn't go back- but he could go forward.

He felt like he had ants on his skin. His own home felt distant and unfamiliar. No longer welcoming, warm, and secure. The feeling had him peeking through blinds, double checking his apartment. Gun in hand he sat down on his leather couch and ejected the clip setting the pistol and the clip on the coffee table. The sounds of Los Angeles were no longer the norm, sirens screamed in the distance, music played from the apartment on the north wall, the traffic sounds of cars going by and the honks of aggressive drivers had Nate rubbing his eyes. He was exhausted as he laid down on the couch despite the freshly made bed. He wanted to sleep, but his mind was still trying to catch up with everything that had happened, organize it and put it in it's proper place.

He was going back to work the next day, he had appointments to keep, research to do, and he knew in good time people did come to him for advice on their own well being, or that of a colleague all while trying to dance around the subject. They were masterful and he knew he needed to be on the top of his game, but Eric's words kept playing in his head.

_"And who helps you when you've got horrors playing over in your eyes?"_

If the tech could see the images that were forever burned into the phycologists eyes, the agents would see it too. He needed to be the phytologist while he was home, an agent overseas. He couldn't help but live a double life, but he was having a harder and harder time separating the two parts of his life.

::

Eric sat on the beach, the sun had gone down but the beach was pretty well lit. There were a few couples walking around, a few groups of people chatting and having a good time. Eric just wanted to relax, the sand between his toes, the cool caress of the breeze off the ocean.

Work was always move faster, read quicker, look harder, long hard hours that were nearly always a life or death situation. It was hard to work in such an intense environment. Sometimes you won, sometimes you lost- and when they lost... they lost big. OSP wasn't for the faint of heart. When they put their chips on the table then went all in. _Everyday_.

Video games helped. Researching the latest encryption data helped. _Bethany._.. she definitely helped. But there were days where sitting by the ocean and realizing just how small you are in the scheme of things really just shoved everything into perspective.

Exhaustion was getting to him, the dark circles under his eyes would surely be noticeable, but he figured everyone would blame it on the double course load. He stood and dusted the sand off his shorts before walking in his flip flops back to his VW microbus. He'd take the damn sleeping pills, because he needed to be wide awake tomorrow. His job was to important to mess up because of lack of sleep.

When he got back to his place, he found the prescribed sleeping pills in the bathroom medicine cabinet and took as directed. He tried to convince himself as he got into bed that they were for the greater good even as he knew in the morning he'd swear back off the things again until the exhaustion once again became to much to take.

::

She was grateful for the kiss, that muffled the cry that surely would have woken the children. Children presented a new challenge when trying to maintain a healthy love life. One in which both Sam and Michelle were more than willing to tackle. Shutting doors to the children's bedrooms after a few checks to make sure they were well and truly asleep. Shutting and locking their own doors because that was something neither would want to attempt to explain. Slow love and quieted moans were their only option.

He laid down beside her and she snuggled up to his warmth both still breathing out of rhythm, both wearing nothing but ridiculously pleased grins upon their faces. Sam glanced over at the clock, well after two in the morning, another joy of children trying to stay up as late as they can, reading over and over again bedtime stories, and trying to get Zachary to actually put the handheld game away for the night.

Sam felt his fiancé shift in his arms and then her lips pressing against his, a kiss which he eagerly returned. "I love you," she whispered as she drew away.

"I love you too, Mitch."

"I should let you get some sleep," Michelle spoke softly her bare, silky smooth leg running up along his. Due to the light glow of street lights through the blinds he seen her lick her lips slowly. "But I can think of more... irresponsible things to do."

"Really?" He replied in a whisper with a smile. "What kinds of things?"

She straddled him, her fingernails lightly grazing over his chest a smile on her face. "All kinds of things."


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you for the wonderful comments, I really appreciate the feedback :)**

Kensi awoke from a dream, she tried to remember it but it was like trying to grab fog and she was left with nothing. She did some quick stretches and got into her red and gold one piece and pulled the wetsuit up to her waist tying the arms around so they didn't flop around. She wasn't exactly a morning person. She got up because of work, because she liked to get a run in and dust off the cobwebs of sleep from her brain. It didn't mean she liked getting up hours before work like she did now to go surfing with Deeks.

She parked beside his vehicle and frowned when she seen the split lip he was still sporting from the fight the previous day. She exited the vehicle and remote locked the doors. "How you feeling?" she asked trying her best to mask her worry.

He turned to face her, his wide smile a personalized greeting. He already had the wetsuit zipped up so she couldn't see the bruises she was sure he had on his torso. "Great," he replied walking over with coffee and extending one to her. As their hands met he leaned down and kissed her. Her heart kicked into overtime and she wanted to be kissed, just like that every morning for the rest of her life. He leaned back and took a sip of his coffee. "The waves look pretty mellow this morning, should be a smooth ride."

The fact that he actually seemed grateful for the mellow waves told Kensi that he was still in pain. She didn't mention it, but she'd be keeping a very close eye on him for the rest of the day. They chatted idly while they finished their coffees and then took the surfboards to the ocean.

Kensi took a moment to watch as her partner walked into the ocean as if it were home. He seemed so completely at ease, at one with the ocean. She on the other hand looked at the water coming up to greet her toes with apprehension. It would be cold. She heard the splash of her partner dropping into the freezing depths and then his head popped back up, his hair darker with the weight of the water, the usual curl beginning to straighten a bit. "You coming?" He asked attaching the ankle strap.

"Yeah," she replied taking her first steps into the cold water. If love wasn't following a man into the freezing cold ocean at five thirty in the morning, Kensi wasn't sure what was.

::

The Hanna residence was always a mad house in the morning. Michelle had an early shift at the bank she worked at which left Sam alone to get Zachary ready to catch the school bus and to take care of Zoe until Eloise showed up.

Breakfast was cereal because it required no effort. Zachary got dressed and after the third prompting from Sam he went and brushed his teeth. Zoe was blowing bubbles in the house but as long as she was quiet and being well behaved Sam didn't mind. He quickly made a sandwich and put it the Captain America lunch box along with carrot sticks, a juice box and a couple of cookies. "Dad you have to sign my homework log!" Zachary said pointing out the page in the planner.

Sam quickly signed the thing and threw it in the bag with the lunch box. "Coat, shoes!" He looked over his shoulder to check the time. "Hurry or you're going to miss the bus." Zachary quickly put on his shoes and jacket and Sam passed his son the backpack. "Love you, have a good day at school."

"Love you too," Zachary replied. "Bye Zoe."

"Bye, bye Zack!" She waved happily at her brother and once out the door the girl ran to the front room to watch her brother at the end of the driveway and stood there blowing bubbles onto the window until the bus pulled up. She waved again and then skipped back. "I get to go on the bus next year right, Daddy?"

"Yes you do," Sam replied checking the time yet again as a car pulled in the driveway. "You're going to be good for Grandma right?"

Zoe nodded and then blew some more bubbles as Eloise came in the door. "Hello?"

"Hey Mom," Sam greeted her grabbing his jacket and keys. "Got to run." He turned and kissed his daughter on the top of the head. "Be good," he said again. "I love you."

"Love you Daddy," she responded with a smile and a wave as he headed out the door.

It might be hectic at times, but he wouldn't want to start his day off any other way.

::

Eric woke with a start his alarm clock nearly giving him a heart attack. He was both sweating and shivering. He tried to get his breathing back to a normal rate, his heart hammering away in his chest. Sitting upright he swung his legs off the side of the bed, his feet touching the cool wood floorboards.

He made his living on finding out the little details that would put together a picture as a whole. He needed truth, he needed answers and most of the time the team did prevail and he got satisfaction from a job well done. It burned deep within him that the most personal questions were the ones he'd yet to be able to answer. The not knowing was eating him alive, six going on seven years now and he wasn't sure how many more nights he could lay awake, or take the damn sleeping pills and allow his mind to trap him there while his subconscious played through every scenario.

His sister, Shannon Darby Beale, had been older than him by three years. She had been an English major before she studied cosmetology. She'd practised cutting his hair, dying it, styling it and he'd let her mostly because she bribed him with food. She listened to a mix of indie bands and classic rock. She had a laugh that was infectious and a smile that lit up the room. She was personable and optimistic... and then she disappeared.

_Vanished with out a trace_.

How could that be? No one was invisible, no one just vanished. He'd used every technological advancement he had in ops and nothing, absolutely nothing for years and it was eating away at him.

Knowing one way or another, it had to be better than this awful limbo. He knew ever worse case scenario. He seen them play out on the big screen and it only assisted creating new and terrifying nightmares that seemed after all these years to be endless. After Darby went missing (and it was Darby, she hated being named 'Shannon' it likely had something to do with it being their great aunt's name and that woman gave the Wicked Witch a run for her money) their parents had broken up, father was on marriage number three if Eric was correct and his mother had just ended marriage number two. The family had fallen to pieces when she'd gone missing, and he seemed to be still losing pieces on a day to day basis.

He shambled to the shower and then decided to brush his teeth first trying to get the dryness, a side effect from the sleeping pill, from his mouth. He had to get rid of the thoughts of his sister. He wished he knew if she were dead, if there were a body maybe then he could finally lay her to rest, get closure, move forward, because with out a body, with out proof, you had hope. And hope was killing him. Eric splashed water over his face trying to get his mind out of the dream and the icy water did the trick. He had to lock it all away, he had a job to do.

::

Nell slipped into the shower and wrapped her arms around Callen's waist. "We so don't have time for that right now," Callen said.

"I'm conserving water," Nell declared wriggling past him to get under the jet. "We're simply sharing shower time."

"Yeah, we tried that once," Callen said with a smile forming on his face. "If I remember correctly, we ran the tank cold."

She smiled as she grabbed the shampoo bottle pouring some into her hand and applying it through the wet dark brown locks. "But this time I've got my libido on lock-down," she realized it probably wasn't very convincingly said since her eyes trailed over his wet naked body as she'd said it.

"Speak for yourself," he said before kissing a trail down her neck and sucking lightly on her collarbone. She let out a gasp and self control was lost.

::

Nate was more aware of personal security after the death of Agent Dominic Vale. After being sent out on solo missions, mostly for intelligence gathering and profiling he'd taken up extra precautions, including being trained with a firearm.

He came in to the OSP firing range a solid hour before he had any appointments. NCIS agents had a standard issue Glock, and he was comfortable with it in his hands. The first time he realized he was no longer nervous, but actually comfortable with the gun it had sent a shiver down his spine. Paper targets were easy. Human beings were a completely different story, and Nate knew that, he'd taken lives with the gun in his hand and it didn't unsettle as much as he had thought it would. He had to make decisions with the information he had, with the skills he possessed and every time he pulled the trigger he had known that it was kill or be killed. He found refuge in that.

He put on the protection gear and grabbed his gun. The weight was more comforting that the return to his apartment had been. He shot off a couple of rounds, the bullets penetrating the centre ring riddling the paper to bits. He shot again in the head, another to the heart before he felt the presence of another in the room.

"Mind if I join?" Sam asked with a friendly smile.

"Not at all," Nate replied.

Sam put his gun on the table and grabbed a target sheet while Nate pressed the target recall button. "You been here long?"

"Ten minutes," Nate responded taking down the sheet.

"I'd ask you about your time away, but let me guess, you can't tell me anything," Sam said with a smile.

Nate knew that the secrecy would be forgiven, the agents all understood. "Mum's the word." He threw what was left of the target into the recycle bin and took the one Sam offered.

They hung their targets in silence, put on their protection gear and fired off a few rounds. "You're good," Sam said looking impressed.

"I've had a considerable amount of practice," Nate replied as evenly as he could, he didn't want to display how uneasy that fact made him.

Sam stayed quiet a minute. "Care to talk about it."

Nate sighed. "I hate my own words being thrown back at me."

"You've always been there for me, for all of us, Nate." Sam said seriously. "If you need to talk..."

"Got it," Nate replied. "But you know what they say about doctors being terrible patients."

Sam nodded. "Well, when you change your mind, and you will... we all avoid it- until we don't."

Nate nodded in return and watched Sam leave. As the door shut behind Sam, Nate couldn't help but have that feeling he'd expected to have when he had returned to his apartment.

Nate felt as if he'd finally come _home_.

::

Callen sipped on his coffee as he came into the office, usually he carpooled with Nell or Sam but he had to go and check on his house, aside from a broken mug and picking that plant Hetty had got him up off the floor and sticking it back onto the mantle his house had come through unscathed.

"The pink one is nice," he heard Deeks saying from the bullpen. Callen stopped between the decorative iron walls and watched curiously for a moment. Deeks was leaning over the back of Kensi's chair, his hand on her shoulder and they were searching for something on Kensi's laptop.

"I hate pink," Kensi responded and dismissed whatever it was that Deeks had been pointing at.

"The green one is nice," he said pointing at the screen and Kensi swatted his hand away.

"Too plain," she said and it caused him to sigh and roll his eyes.

"You stand on it... and when it's you, it's not for very long," the words might have had more impact if he had managed to keep a straight face. She punched him in the arm and only then did she see Callen. "Morning Callen."

"Good morning," Callen replied dropping his bag by his desk and heading over to the counter to make tea.

Sam groaned as he came in behind Callen. "You're not allowed to say 'good morning' anymore."

"Why?" Deeks asked. "It's a kind greeting, and hell it's more than the usual gruff 'morning- not sure if it's a good one yet' kind of welcome we usually get. It's optimistic. I like optimistic, it's like saying 'I'm not going to get shot at today.'"

Both Kensi and Sam shook their heads. "That's not optimism, that's stupidity," Kensi noted.

"And when Callen put's 'good' before 'morning' it means he got some morning sex," Sam said with a stony face. "And now he's with Nell." Sam really didn't want to think about that, and with Callen putting 'good' in the sentence it was practically an announcement.

Deeks could understand where Sam was coming from.

"I do not put 'good' before 'morning' because I've had morning sex." Callen said with a large smile upon his face. "I just had really good coffee this morning."

Sam stared at him for a few moments. "You're a fucking liar, G."

::

Nell and Eric sat side by side in the ops centre with looks of frustration upon their faces. "You know Japanese?" Eric asked hopefully.

"No," Nell replied grumpily as they looked at the text that was giving both the technical operator and the intelligence analyst a headache. "But...I know someone who might." Nell looked around, but the other technical operator wasn't in the ops centre. "I'll be right back." The back part of the office was a bit of a maze but Nell had it memorised and found Agent Renko's team- the Japanese-American Technical Operator Kimi included in their cozy back office. "Kimi," Nell interrupted. "You read Japanese?"

"Does a kitten purr?" Kimi responded with a smile. "You betcha!"

"I need your help. Like ten minutes ago."

Kimi gave a sharp nod and thrust her tablet into Agent Noah Faraday's hands. "Figure it out!" And then she left the room side by side with Nell. "What are you working on?"

"Case that involves some stolen military weapons, and a plot to assassinate a Japanese diplomat on American soil. We intercepted emails between the members of group that stole the weapons, but neither Eric or I can read Japanese."

"Good thing I'm here then," Kimi said with a smile as they walked into the Ops centre. She sat down in Nell's chair and all three of them looked at the screen even though only Kimi understood. "Uh oh," she said.

"That sounds bad," Eric noted.

"Indeed," Kimi said her light brown eyes reading quickly. "They want to trade. The man's life, for five million dollars."

"They aren't going to trade, it would be perceived as weakness," Nate said and the tech's jumped. "Sorry, I was eavesdropping."

"So they'll go through with the assassination," Eric said.

"With American Military weapons," Nell finished.

"It would cause major discord in American and Japanese relations," Nate said. "We have to stop it."

::

Coping with stress was in the job description. If you couldn't handle stress- stay out of the OSP. Nell's heart was hammering in her chest as she watched the cameras on the various agents. Kensi had a camera hidden in the centre gem on her clutch, Deeks; a button on his suit. Callen's had come off and been lost in an earlier fight and he from the angle of Sam's button cam Nell could tell Callen was already thinking about Hetty and the expense reports- he was likely considering going back to find the camera button.

The assassination would be public, these men wanted to make a show of it. The press conference was the perfect time, and they'd scrambled to get dressed and in place on time. "We've got Stanelli coming through the south entrance," Nell said watching the various feeds, her eyes flicking between them doing her best not to miss a thing despite only having two eyes and ten different cameras.

"Windol doesn't seem like the kind of guy to sit back and let someone else take the shot," Nate said reading a file on the leader. "He's a take action, never back down kind of guy. By his file... I'd say he's likely already in place."

"I didn't see him on any camera," Eric said.

"Maybe he came in before the conference, long before it," Nate suggested.

"Maybe we missed something," Nell said with a frown. She didn't like how short their perpetration for the operation had been. By the time Kimi had read through the correspondence and they'd had less than an hour to put together the operation.

The speech had begun and the timer was on.

"We need to find him," Sam said adjusting his tie.

"Yeah, good luck with that in this crowd," Deeks said being the one closest to the stage. He was always watching out for his partner, and kept checking on her ever few seconds as not to loose sight of her in the crowd. "Kensi's getting manhandled," there was a fair degree of agitation in his voice.

"Sam," was all Callen said and the big man was pushing his way through the crowd. Callen heard the agitation and wouldn't put it past the detective to go in on his white horse and protect his partner, Callen didn't even have a problem with the closeness the partners had found, but Callen needed Deeks where he was and needed the man undistracted, and Kensi in distress was a huge distraction for Deeks... or it made him focus tenfold-on her. Callen needed Deeks's head in the game.

Nell watched as Sam put his arm over Kensi's shoulders in a protective gesture. "She's with me," he said staring down the man who looked quite nervous, he nodded and left. Sam's posture went from intimidating to comforting in a second. "You good?"

"Fine," Kensi responded with a great deal of agitation. She didn't like having to rely on the other agents, but since she did, she was happy to have the very best in her corner. "I need to get a better vantage point," she said looking around. She couldn't see past the few people crowded around her but at least everyone had stopped moving and were watching the speech. "There are too many people here, I bet Windol will be at a higher point too."

"Second floor, taking aim," Deeks said with urgency having spotted the man in question.

At he finished talking many things happened at once. Deeks jumped up on stage. Sam being the closest to the stairs took off. Callen had his gun out and was aiming up at the man.

A single shot reverberated through the building.

"DEEKS!" Kensi shouted as she watched with horror. Her partner had gotten there in time, stepped in front of the diplomat and took the bullet. For her, it was like time had slowed, his body gave a jerk with the force of the bullet and then he was down, the diplomat's security quickly rushing the other man out the back.

"Medics en route," Eric said on auto-pilot, his voice coming to the agents over the madness.

People ducked, screamed, ran. Callen shot high, missed the man and sent him running. "Sam, he's coming to you!"

"DEEKS!" Kensi ran toward the man and heard a few more shots in the back of the building.

"Windol's down," Sam said.

"Kensi, Stanelli just went by you!" Callen yelled. "Grab him." She felt disoriented, her partner had been shot, Stanelli was getting away. "Kensi!" Callen barked in her ear and she followed her orders fuming as she did so. She tackled Stanelli and took great joy when he had some fight in him, she wouldn't feel a bit of remorse for beating the hell out of him. Her fist connected with his nose, the snap was sickening, he howled as blood started to flow. She hit him a couple more times for good measure before rolling him over and grabbing restrains from her clutch.

"Deeks?" She growled as she held the still fighting man down, her knee in his back.

Callen knelt down next to Deeks. "Hows the chest?"

"Better than it could have been," Deeks responded.

"Deeks?" Kensi's voice was small.

"I'm fine, Kens." Callen extended a hand and helped Deeks up. "I hate wearing vests," Deeks said, but smiled at the Senior Agent-In-Charge. "But I sure am glad you ordered me to wear one."

::

**Be happy I didn't leave a cliffhanger, because I was really, **_**really**_** tempted. **

****FYI: Kimi is the Technical Operator in my stories Prologue and Eye for and Eye. **

**Thanks for reading :)**


	20. Chapter 20

Kensi was eerily quiet on the drive back to the office, she had tension radiating off of her and Deeks was afraid to do so much as turn on the radio. "You scared the hell out of me Marty," she whispered finally breaking the silence at a red light.

"I'm sorry," he whispered back. "We were just about to head in, you were going to mingle, Sam was going to take the rear, Callen the front and I was going to the stage... Callen just thrust the damn thing at me said it was 'just incase' but he said it like it wasn't an option." His hand touched hers and her grip on his hand hurt but he didn't remove it. "He figured me being close to the stage..."

She snapped out of her revive when the driver behind her laid on the horn. She flipped them off and stepped on the gas. "You're my partner, you're my..." Kensi was quiet for a block and then pulled over unable to drive with her emotions flaring like this. She either needed to get it out or put it on lock down. Since it was Deeks sitting beside her and not anyone else she went for the first. "You're my best friend, and... you're... whatever it is we are trying to be and..." She ran her hands over the top of her head pulling out the ridiculous twisted thing Hetty had designed her hair into. Behind the curtains of her hair she composed herself. "I watched you fall Marty, and... all I could think about was you lying in that hospital bed after you were shot the first time."

"Kensi," he whispered. "I'm going to do my best to make sure I stay alive, if only to make you happy."

"I can't freeze up like that," she said. "Callen's going to want to talk to me about today. And what do I tell him?"

"That your partner was shot," Deeks replied. "You think he'd do any better if Sam was shot?"

"It's Callen," Kensi said with an eye roll. "He's a master of his emotions."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Deeks said. "This team is his family..." Deeks remembered quite clearly the moment Callen thrust the vest into his chest and told him to wear it 'just incase' the older agent's blue eyes flaring with warning and Deeks didn't think twice about obeying. "He protects family," it was striking to realize he was now part of that... maybe his position was at the bottom as annoying little brother, but Deeks could deal with that.

Kensi was quiet for a minute. "I know the risks of this job, and I... I know what it's like to fail my partner. I watched..." her voice broke and she took a second to get her emotions back under control. "I watched Dom bleed out on a rooftop, we were so close to him and he died." She looked over at him, her expressive brown eyes relaying horrors and fear.

"We just have to live, do our jobs to the best of our abilities, enjoy down time when we have it," Deeks said softly, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand. "You've never let me down Kensi, and if I hadn't been wearing a vest, I still would have taken that hit. It's what we do."

"I know you would have, and if I'd been the one by the stage, I'd have done the same thing. I know it's our job... but..." she looked over at him and leaned over to kiss him on the lips and got more than a quick peck that she'd bargained for when his hand twisted in her hair holding her in place as his lips demanded more. The heat, desperation and need spoke more than the words did on their own. "How do we do this?" she whispered.

"We live every moment like it's our last."

Kensi thought that sounded both beautiful and a little ominous.

::

"We aren't going to find it, G," Sam said with barely suppressed laughter.

Callen sighed. "How am I going to explain this to Hetty?" Callen knew he was a nightmare to her expense reports, he'd only lost one button cam before, usually he ended up getting blood on the wardrobe or bullets in his car, occasionally he spiced it up by flipping his car, but it was all the bad guys fault. "My expense reports this month are going to be brutal. Pretty soon she'll be taking it out of my wages."

They walked back to the car together. "You gave Deeks a vest," Sam said breaking the silence.

"He was the one stationed closest to the stage, figured he might need it," Callen said with a shrug. It had been last minute, one of those instinctive, impulsive moves and one he was glad he'd made.

"Kensi froze," Sam said keeping his tone neutral trying to distinguish how Callen felt about it.

"I know," Callen responded neither his face or tone giving anything away.

Sam unlocked the car to the Charger. "You think she's okay? Never seen her freeze like that. You think someone upstairs will break them up?"

"They're good partners," Callen defended quickly as he pulled open the door and got settled in the car.

"But..." Sam pressured buckling his seat belt.

"But if they aren't effective in the field they're no good to the team," Callen said fastening his seat belt and listening to the purr of the engine starting. "I'll deal with them, don't worry." Callen only hoped a stern talking too would wipe away the blurs and give them all a crystal clear message.

::

"Sam," Nell grabbed his arm as he came out of the change rooms, she looked around quickly as if afraid of being caught.

"Yes?" He looked down at her curiously with a bit of a smile.

She nodded her head in one direction and he followed her lead to a back office. "Callen's birthday is coming up."

"Yep," Sam replied. "What to get the man who has nothing?" he jested.

Nell rolled her eyes. "It's the big four-oh! It's kind of a big deal." She fidgeted with the end of her cream cardigan. "I was thinking, surprise party."

"Callen's never had a birthday party, much less a surprise one..." Sam said with a sad smile. "Surprise parties for a extra paranoid special agent is likely to end in someone getting shot."

"He's not going to shoot anyone, Sam," Nell abolished the idea. "Wait, he's _never_ had a birthday party?"

"Nope, never. We've gone out for beers with the team, don't mention his thirty fifth birthday to him, and if you do, remember, it was Renko's fault." Sam smiled slyly and then shrugged. "After that, he wasn't interested at all." Sam felt guilty for a minute. "Told me once he'd never gotten a birthday card. Told him I'd get him one that year, but he'd ended up on a joint task force for a month and he wasn't around so I forgot..."

"Look, this party is happening," Nell said sternly her hazel eyes narrowing on him. "I need your help."

"Oh God," Sam said running a hand over his bald head.

She glared at him. "First, we need a place, mine is kind of small."

"Callen's," he said as if it was obvious.

"I'm moving in, the place is going to be a disaster while we get everything arranged."

"I gue-what?" Sam switched directions mid sentence, shocked by the new revelation. "You're moving in with G?"

Nell smiled and nodded. "We decided paying rent and a mortgage when already basically living- look," she said not feeling the need to explain the entire decision to Sam. "Yes, I'm moving in with G, and we need to host him a birthday party. I was thinking your place."

Sam groaned. "You're going to put streamers up, aren't you."

"I've already called and talked to Michelle, she thinks it's a wonderful idea. The children look forward to making birthday cards with you when you get home," Nell smiled.

Sam shook his head, she looked tiny, but she was a controlled force of nature. "Alright."

"Good to have you on board," Nell said with a smile. "Your in charge of the barbecue."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

::

"Cupcakes," Deeks said when he was informed of the birthday party. He was sitting at his desk, Nell leaning over the opposite side, Kensi on her left. "Lots of cupcakes. Chocolate and vanilla."

"I like that idea," Kensi said pushing up the sleeves on her dark blue cotton shirt. "We'll make cupcakes, with sprinkles" she tapped on Nell's list of things to do. "Snacks, check! I'll bring some chips, dips, and one of those cheese platters."

Deeks really couldn't help himself. "Those are... Gouda."

Both Kensi and Nell stared at him before busting into a fit of giggles. "That was really bad Marty," Nell said shaking her head.

He gave a shrug. "It might have been bad, but you both laughed." He looked over the list. "Anything else you need done?"

"I think I got the vast majority under control," Nell said. "With the move I figured I'd need some help though."

"Move?" Deeks asked, his curiosity peaked.

"I'm moving in, officially, with Callen," Nell announced, naturally Kensi already knew.

"Need any help?" Deeks asked.

"Moving?" Nell was surprised he'd offered.

Deeks nodded earnestly. "Just the two of you doing it after work, sounds like it'll take forever. If you need a hand, I'll help you out."

"Me too," Kensi said. "With like... lamps and things, Deeks shouldn't be allowed carrying the breakables," she shot a dazzling smile at her partner.

"Not going to help carry the bed frame, huh?" Deeks said with a grin.

"Not a chance," Kensi replied.

::

"I heard you're moving in with Callen," Nate said to Nell as they walked along side by side and he tugged her into his office. "You really okay with living with someone again?"

Nell rolled her eyes. "I'm fine Nate, we've practically been living together for months now."

"But this will be more permanent, you don't have your own place to go back to," Nate crossed his arms, he was wearing his typical suit but somehow he didn't seem like the same Nate she had once knew. He was different now, but then again, so was she.

"I'm okay with that," Nell said. "This place will be our very own... I want that happiness my parents had."

Nate knew the pass tense indicated she was talking about her biological parents. The fact that she was adopted was one that Callen and Nate both knew because she had told them, and Hetty knew... because she's Hetty. "If you need me, I'm here," Nate said touching her shoulder gently. "And I wish you every bit of happiness Caroline and Kevin had."

Her eyes went misty at the names of her biological parents. She went up on tip toes to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you, Nate."

He nodded and watched her leave.

::

"Kens," Callen called catching up to her in the garage.

Kensi froze, she knew the conversation had been coming, but she wished she had more time to figure out what to say. Then again, maybe improving was best, she was paid to do it for a living. She straightened out her spine and turned to face her boss, and long time friend. "Callen."

He stopped in front of her and studied her for a second. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied adjusting the hem of her shirt.

"You froze, I understand that you thought your partner had been shot, and you're lucky you still caught that guy," Callen said and she realized quickly he was in boss mode. "So what the hell happened Kensi?"

"I watched my partner take a bullet, Callen. That's what happened," she responded angrily. "What would you have done if it had been Sam?"

"My job," Callen replied. "Something you almost didn't. Get your head in the game Kensi, whatever has you knocked off balance fix it." He sighed and she could see him mentally switching from boss to friend mode, he put a hand on her elbow. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kensi responded her anger dissipating. "I just wish I had known he was wearing a vest."

Callen smiled. "Next time I'll do better to keep everyone informed of who's wearing vests and who isn't." She smiled back, just a little. "Be careful Kens," Callen said his voice a whisper. "What do you think would have happened today if Granger was here?"

Kensi nodded. "It won't happen again."

Callen gave a sharp nod and headed back into the office while Kensi headed back to her car.

::

Paper was folded in half, crayons and markers out, Zachary and Zoe sat at the kitchen table making birthday cards.

"Is Nell coming?" Zoe asked pushing back a stray bit of her curly hair.

"Yes," Sam answered.

"I like Nell," Zoe said with a happy smile. "Nell is pretty."

"She is," Sam agreed.

"Who else is coming?" Michelle asked bring the children over apple juice boxes.

"Kens, Eric, Deeks, likely Hetty. I better call up Mom too, she'll want to get her laughs in since it's his fortieth. Mike might show up if he's not on duty," Sam said.

"He really doesn't have anyone outside of your little circle," Michelle said sadly and could now see the parallels in Sam's life. Sam made nice with the neighbours, made polite conversation with her friends, but she could she the bounds, the barriers he'd put up.

Sam shrugged. "I'd say it's an occupational hazard, but with G, loner is in his nature."

"What should we get him?" Michelle asked moving around to see what Zachary was drawing, she smiled.

"Mom," Zachary looked up at her. "How do you spell birthday?"

"B-i-r-t-h-d-a-y," she spelt out. He put precision into every letter, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Michelle sat back down on Sam's lap. "How about a lamp?"

"Nell's moving in with him, I'm sure she has lamps."

"Apartment lamps," Michelle said, "and you said they were moving into Gregor... G's place." She'd started to correct herself, it seemed so silly to continue calling a man by a fake name once you knew the real story.

"He doesn't expect you to stop calling him by... that," he said ever alert of the little ears.

"Daddy!" Zoe shouted demanding his attention. "Can I use glitter?"

"Sure," he smiled.

"Yes!" She scooted off the chair and ran to her bedroom.

"He hates glitter," Michelle said with a knowing smile.

"But he loves Zoe," Sam replied. "And it'll be his first birthday party..." and then in undertone he said, "I just hope he doesn't shoot someone when we all jump out and say 'surprise.'"

She laughed and rested her head against his shoulder. "What about throw pillows?"

::

Nell sat on the floor packing up her belongings into boxes, taping them shut and marking them with a marker. "Wine?" Callen brought her a glass.

"Thanks," she replied taking it and having a sip setting it on the coffee table. "I can't believe how much stuff I have... maybe we should have just moved your stuff here," she said with a smile.

"Would have saved some time," Callen settled down behind her, leaning his back against the couch and she leaned back against him between his legs.

She held a photo album in her hand and opened it carefully. "I want to show you something," she said. She felt him nod, his chin on her right shoulder, his arms slithering around her waist to hold her against his body. She pointed to the first photograph of a baby with dark brown locks spiked up. "That's me," she said with a smile.

"Cute," he noted and kissed her cheek.

She flipped the page, a young couple, the woman was holding the same baby and his body shifted slightly holding her closer. The woman appeared to be in her mid twenties, long layered chocolate brown locks with bangs, she wore tights, a sun dress and a cardigan, it wasn't hard to see where Nell had got her sense of fashion from. The man standing next to her was looking down at the baby adoringly and appeared to be tickling her, neatly trimmed blonde hair, jeans and a t-shirt kind of guy all three of them standing in front of a wonderful little home. "These... these are my parents," Nell said reaching over to grab her glass of wine, she'd gone for a sip, but ended up taking a gulp before setting it down. "That's my mom Caroline, and my father Kevin Taylor."

"I'm sorry," he whispered softly to her.

She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes wet with unshed tears. "I lost them a long time ago."

"It doesn't stop you from hurting now," he replied.

She wondered about his parents, probably only half as much as he did. He mourned the loss of a woman in a photograph he only had flashes of- broken memories. She sighed. "Do you... remember anything about your parents?"

"I remember my mother being shot on the beach," Callen shrugged. "That's about it." He said it with no emotions attached but she had to wonder how it actually effected him.

"Nothing about your father?"

Callen shook his head, his eyes returning to the photograph. "So your name was Nell Taylor."

She nodded. "It was changed to Jones when I was adopted. They gave me the choice, I wanted to be part of the new family, I had to let go." Even then she had her control issues, she'd needed to put the past in a box and move forward.

He took a sip of wine and put it back on the table his arm moving back around her waist. "You remember them? Caroline and Kevin?"

"I remember... my dad's laugh, my mother's smile. My dad loved swimming, we spent a lot of time on the beaches. I remember watching my mom put on makeup... mostly though, I just remember the police coming to the door and telling the babysitter what happened."

"And... what happened?" he touched the subject nervously.

"Car accident," Nell responded. "Icy roads," she shrugged. "Another car lost control hit them and their car flipped over the road barrier, rolled down..." She pressed her lips together tightly. "They died instantly."

"You didn't have any family to take you?" Callen inquired.

Nell shook her head. "I never seen any aunts or uncles, grandparents... I didn't know they were even missing from my life. I thought it was normal then. I looked into it when I was old enough. My mom had run away from home, severed all ties with her family- for reasons they wouldn't tell me, and my father came from old money, they cut ties with him when he wouldn't leave my mother... but you know... they were happy. That I remember, there were never fights, always smiles, hugs and kisses... 'I love you's' they weren't afraid to say it, they weren't afraid to mean it." She looked over her shoulder. "I love you."

His lips twitched and he kissed her lightly on the lips. "I love you too."

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, they are truly inspiring :)**


	21. Chapter 21

Nell came back to her apartment with an arm full of groceries. She had plans to cook a nice meal, do some more packing before Callen returned since he'd gone to semi-obsessively clean his already clean house. She smiled, he wanted her to be comfortable there, she knew that, it was why she had a book of paint chips that they'd looked over at lunch, they were choosing colour schemes for their house. The joy such thoughts brought her, she'd always thought she'd end up with an empty apartment... maybe a goldfish, now she was moving in with a man who she adored and they were planning a life together, her heart burst and the smile simply wouldn't leave her face.

She put a burnt disk to her CD player and the sweet sound of Yiruma's Reminiscent played. The piano filled her kitchen as she put danced about putting away the few drinks she'd purchased, everything else was to be put together for some Penne Pomodoro, she found the recipe card in a little box Chloe had painted for her and Susan had filled with all her favourite recipes when she'd moved from Illinois to California.

With a pot of water boiling on the stove top she went back to the living room that was stacked with boxes, she sighed. She was going to miss the home she'd made, but she was ready to move forward, to make a new home with Callen. The song changed to Debussy's Nocturne, she loved to cook with instrumental music, it stayed in the background and didn't impede her thoughts. She read and followed the instructions to the letter when she head a key slide in the lock, the smile coming back on her face.

"Everything spotless?" She asked stirring the Pomodoro sauce.

"More or less," Callen responded hooking his jacket on the hanger and sticking it in the front closet. He inhaled the intoxicating scent. "You cooking?"

"Yes," she replied.

He followed his nose into the kitchen and leaned against the doorway watching her move around the tiny kitchen. "What are we having?"

"Penne Pomodoro," she replied pulling a cheese grater out of a drawer she set it down next to a block of cheese. He didn't even have to be asked, he just came over and started to work on grating the mozzarella.

"Are we moving some of the boxes over tonight?"

"It'll be a good start," she responded dumping the noodles into the boiling water.

The worked together harmoniously in a comfortable silence the piano in the background.

"I have to do laundry," Callen muttered as a reminder to himself.

"You really hate doing laundry don't you?" Nell said, she'd noticed he wait till he only had one clean outfit and then go and wash everything.

"It's not my favourite thing in the world," Callen said finishing the block of cheese and sneaking some before Nell caught him.

"I seen that."

Callen stayed silent for a second. "Did not."

She looked over her shoulder shooting him a smile. "Everyone eats some of the cheese once it's grated, it's human nature." She went back to stirring the sauce. "How about I do the laundry, I got some to do anyways, and you take some of the boxes over to your place?"

He kissed her cheek. "Sounds good."

::

Kensi Blye did not back down, not ever. So Deeks slowed just slightly in his pace and matched it to hers as they ran through scenic trails. Running at such a pace left them both panting- not good for conversation- so the fact that both were listening to their own running mix didn't matter.

Deeks always enjoyed running with someone else. It didn't matter if you didn't talk to them, they were there and sometimes company was all that was needed. He'd left Monty behind even though it was his jogging time because the old dog liked being walked, he jogged when he felt like it but Deeks didn't want to give his dog a heart attack by making him run this course that Kensi had chosen out of her very long list.

Kensi usually disliked running with someone, and hated running with a group. Running for her was her 'alone, time to unwind' time. Sometimes she'd run half the trail and stop, sit down under a tree and just... be. She'd think about the state of her life, usually about the lack of someone in it, and now the person she'd kept trying to keep out of her thoughts was running beside her. She looked over at him, and he looked back at her and smiled. Even sweaty, and little red in the face he took her breath away... or maybe it was the run.

He liked that she pushed him. She pushed him in a lot of things when he thought about it. Kensi always kept him on his toes, she made him want to do better, be better. She picked up the pace and he hadn't even realized that they had slowed to a jog, she was practically sprinting and he dug deep and sped up to match her long strides. He had the extra height to close the small distance she had put between them, but instead of overtaking her like he could have... they crossed the end of the trail together.

::

Grocery shopping sucks. Grocery shopping with two small children is a nightmare.

Since Michelle was working late, Sam figured he'd go out and get the groceries for the barbeque. He really should have thought it over. Instead of walking, Zoe decided she wanted to 'hop like a bunny,' so she did and they kept having to stop and wait for her. Zachary on the other hand was busy sneaking items like overly sugary cereals and cookies into the cart.

"Daddy," Zoe said as she panted, tired of hopping she walked and grabbed his hand. "Daddy! We have to get birthday cake. And candles, lots of candles."

"We put candles on your Uncle G's cake and the house will burn down," Sam said. "He's too old."

"No, he has to have candles Daddy!" Zoe protested. "He can't make a birthday wish without candles."

Two packs of twenty birthday candles, a dozen steaks, two packs of hotdogs, a box of hamburgers, and bags of buns later they stood at check out, and Sam remembered the only hell worse than going through the cereal aisle with a child is going through check out.

"Can we get a chocolate bar?" Zachary asked.

"No," Sam replied putting the basket up.

"Please?" Zachary whined.

"No Zack, there are snacks at home."

"I don't want those ones," Zachary pouted. "I want chocolate."

"You can have chocolate at your Uncle G's party."

"I want chocolate now!"

"No Zachary."

"Chocolate!" Zoe piped in. "Please!"

Sam rubbed his temples, he was in for a long night.

::

The beach was lit up with little fires, drums and guitars blended with the sounds of the ocean and Eric felt a peace wash over him as he joined the little group. "Eric, dude," Nolan said with a frown as he looked at his friend. "Don't take this wrong, man, but, dude... you look like shit."

"Thanks," Eric replied. "Anything to drink?"

Nolan leaned back in the sand and reached out grabbing the handle of his cooler and pulled it in, opening the ice chest he passed Eric a beer. "You're either not sleeping," Nolan commented. "Or you went to the most bitchin' gothic festival and can't get the dark make up off from under your eyes."

Eric shook his head but he couldn't help the small smile that fitted his face. "Definitely the second, Cradle of Filth concert."

"Dude, keep it up and you'll be a compulsive liar instead of a selective one," Nolan replied.

Eric shrugged and looked at the bottle of beer for a few seconds before taking a swig. "It's nearly the seven year anniversary," he said quietly.

Laughter broke out on the other side of the fire, and it felt as if the fates were laughing along with them. Eric's jaw clenched reflexively, his teeth snapping together, his hand on the beer tightening.

"I know," Nolan responded quietly, he took the beer away from Eric. "Go home, get some sleep dude. I know what happens if I let you drink when you're in a mood like this. You puke in the front seat of my Prius. And it's bad enough having to drive a fucking Prius."

Eric sat there staring into the flames for a long minute. "How did you manage to move on?" He finally asked. Nolan and Darby had dated for nearly two years before she'd gone missing.

Nolan frowned. "I loved your sister, but... one way or another she's gone. It's been seven years Eric. She's dead." He paused a moment letting it sink in. "You _know_ that."

"They never found a body," Eric replied, there it was that thread of glimmering hope that was like a noose around his neck constantly restricting his airways.

"It doesn't make her any less dead, Eric," Nolan put bluntly. "You need to move past this... have you talked to a professional?"

Eric rolled his eyes and got up off the sand. "Night Nolan."

"Get some sleep, Eric."

::

Nate flopped down on the couch after having meticulously cleaned the apartment. With the dust gone, some air flowing through the open windows and his belongings unpacked the apartment was becoming a little more comfortable to him. The knock on his door made him nearly jump out of his skin, he checked for his gun which was holstered at the back of his pants and he made his way to the window and peeked through the blinds.

The gun wouldn't be needed.

He opened the door. "Rose, hey."

"Hey," she responded bubbly as always. She thrust a dish into his chest. "Casserole, incase your hungry, I just found out you're back in the office today, I mean, Mr Deeks seen the picture of the two of us when he had to check out the body in the morgue," Rose yammered on. "And he said, 'oh you're friends with Nate, you seen him since he's been back' and I felt rather foolish since... I... didn't even know you were back." She looked up at him with a slightly miffed look. "Were you going to call Nate?"

"Of course," Nate replied. It actually hadn't crossed his mind, which was terrible. They'd been dating on and off for over a year, with him constantly leaving and her strange hours it was less of dating, more of mutual company which occasionally ended up in the bedroom.

She appeared to believe him, he was always told he had an honest face. "Lets heat up that casserole," she said taking it from him and marching her way to the kitchen.

Nate let out a quiet sigh and couldn't help but wonder if he'd get everything sorted before he got shipped off again.

::

**Thank you for all the kind messages, I truly appreciate each and every one of them :)**


	22. Chapter 22

Callen was beginning to believe that he should have just done his own laundry. He was the king of moving from place to place, he lived rather nomadically and lived with only the bare essentials. Back when he was moving on nearly a monthly basis and crashing with friends he only owned one bag of clothing and his bed roll. He'd moved up in the world with his steak knives, his chair, his little box of trinkets connected to his past, the little plant that Hetty brought him as a metaphor and his chess board. He had assumed foolishly that moving Nell out of her apartment and into his house wouldn't be such a big deal. Sure there were the heavier items that would be a pain, the couch, love-seat and the bed most notably, but the rest shouldn't be so difficult.

The boxes were meticulously labelled, which was so Nell. He was currently carrying down books, the alphabetically organized A-H box by author last name, and again by title. The books were weighty but he got them down to his car and put them in the trunk with the boxes labelled 'the good plates,' 'cool weather cardigans' and 'BREAKABLE photos in frames.'

The weather was nice, rarely was it anything but. He put the windows down in the car and enjoyed the warm breeze as he sped from her place to his. It was now that he was bringing in her things did he finally take note of the strong black flower pots, sure he'd seen them before but hadn't paid that much attention other than he had to trim around them when he mowed the lawn. She could have fun playing gardener if that was what made her happy, he didn't mind. He made the trips from his car and back into the house.

He put the cardigans in what would be their bedroom, his bedroll was tucked up and in the closet that still had his name carved in it, they'd be taking the master bedroom now, she'd need space for her dressers, the king sized bed (which he thought with just her alone must have been a ridiculous proportion) besides the closet space was nearly three times that of his old room. The box labelled the good plates was placed in the kitchen, and the box of photos in the living room. He figured when all was said and done the place would look like a home rather than the shell he'd kept it at.

Eager to get back to her he turned back off the lights and locked up as he left.

::

Nell came down with two hampers of laundry stacked on top of one another, they seriously impeded her ability to see and she was lucky to get to the elevator unscathed. She hit the 'B' button and rode the elevator down humming to the tune in her head.

Nell actually enjoyed doing laundry, she'd put a load in, read a bit of a book she was reading or read up on the internet about foreign affairs to keep her feelers as an intelligence analyst out there, she had to know everything that was going on. When the timer went off on the washer, she'd change it to the dryer and go back to her reading. Laundry wasn't hard. Okay, so she didn't like folding because no matter what you always end up missing a sock, that and the folding stations in the laundry room of the apartment building were to high for her to comfortably work.

The basement was empty when she entered and she quickly went to work at separating clothing into piles, colours and fabrics taken into consideration. "Laundry day, see you there, under-things, tumbling," she sang since no one was around. The Laundry Day song from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog was a favourite, which reminded her she really should meet up with Eric again for a movie night. "Wanna say, love your hair, here I go, mumbling. With my freeze ray I will stop the world," she smiled throwing a pair of Callen's jeans in with hers. "With my freeze ray I will find the time to find the words to, tell you how, how you make, make me feel what's the phrase," she through one of her blouses over into a pile of whites and picked up one of Callen's collared shirts what had a tiny blood stain, she grabbed the tide stick and got to work. "Like a fool, kind of sick, special needs, anyways, with my freeze ray I will stop the pain. It's not a death ray or a ice beam that's-" She cut herself off when the door opened.

"Great song," Kyle commented, he was the man who lived room 34, a long lanky build, a mop of brown hair and a great smile. "NPH FTW."

Nell laughed. "He's a fantastic actor."

Kyle turned his basket of clothing upside down, dumping it's contents into the washing machine before sticking the quarters into the slots and jiggling the sliding arm. "God damn, shit machines!" he grumbled.

"They're a little old," Nell said walking over and giving it a hit to the left and sliding it home. "But at least they only cost fifty cents."

"And apparently I need to learn your little tricks," Kyle said with a smile taking a step to get a little closer. "Been a while since I've seen you Nell. Can't even call you Lil' Red anymore," his hand gave a playful tug at a tuft of hair.

She took a step back casually, she use to flirt a bit with Kyle she was aware of security and having a routine so she didn't do her laundry on the same night or at the same time, but every once and a while they'd end up doing laundry together. He was a nice guy, a year younger than she, a nerdy movie buff who had seen everything Nathan Fillion had ever done, a mathematician who was teaching advanced algebra at a prestigious high school. The last time they'd done laundry together he'd gotten a little touchy and she had left before it had gone any further, but that had been over eight months ago.

She touched her brunette locks. "I know, it's been a long time." She hadn't been doing laundry as often as she should, and a lot of the time she did it at incredibly late or early hours. "Keeping busy?"

"Always," he responded he took off the messenger style bag that had been across his body and tossed it on top of the closed washing machine. "Got thirty seven papers to grade. Yay," he said unenthusiastically. His eyes ran over her body and a smile lifted on his face showing dimples. "Maybe I could procrastinate a bit, our washers are locked for the next forty minutes... care to take a walk?"

Nell's phone went off, a message asking where she was from Callen, she shot off a quick reply that she was still in the laundry room in the basement before giving Kyle a friendly smile but shaking her head. "Thanks, but I have some work to do too."

"Come on, Nell, where is your sense of spontaneity? I'll buy you dinner, no one in this building will steal our stuff anyways."

She had a feeling that 'dinner' would be more than a 'friendly' dinner and was his way of showing he wanted out of the friend-zone.

"Nell?" Callen poked his head in. "Oh, hey," Callen said giving the man standing a little too close to his girlfriend a quick look over.

"Hey," Kyle returned the brief greeting but immediately looked back to Nell. "So? What'll it be? I know a great Italian place."

Nell shook her head again. "I'm good, really, but thank you for the offer, it was quite _friendly_ of you." She emphasized the word trying to get across that the friend-zone was exactly where he was going to stay.

"I could be friendlier," Kyle said with a grin and a wink.

Nell blushed and she relished the warmth as Callen's hand touched the small of her back and the heat moved right through her top and seared her skin. "I wouldn't be that friendly," Callen warned.

"You two? A couple? _Really?_" Kyle said with his eyebrows jumping up.

"Yes," Nell said.

"Look if you didn't want to go out with me, you should have just said so," Kyle stated still looking between the two disbelievingly. "You didn't need to call up some guy to cockblock."

"_Excuse_ _me_," Nell was indignant her voice rasing a pitch in shock.

"You were texting earlier." Kyle said. "Seriously, you could have just said no."

"I said no politely, and this is my..." boyfriend still seemed to juvenile for what they were, and her G Callen was most certainly no 'boy.' "This is the man I've chosen to spend my life with," she said. Still furious she grabbed her work her baskets, checked the timers on the washing machines and walked out in an air of fury.

Callen shot Kyle a cheeky grin and then strode out after her.

::

"Look at this recipe," Deeks said and Kensi looked to his laptop from behind him.

"I thought we'd just buy the boxed stuff, it's easier that way."

"It's the guy's first birthday, we are not making some generic crap form a box!" Deeks seemed personally outraged by the very idea. "It has to be awesome."

"What if we burn them, or mix the ingredients wrong... then we end up buying some from the grocery store, and that would be even worse."

"We won't burn them, and we won't mix it wrong. We work for an intelligence agency, I'm pretty sure we can figure out how to make cupca-" Deeks caught movement out of the corner of his eye and immediately shut up. "Good mornign Callen."

Callen studied the two suspiciously for a moment. "Morning."

::

Everyone was acting suspicious the next morning when Callen came into work. Nell had gone in at her regular time and Callen used the hour alone time to move some more boxes from Nell's place to his. When he'd walked into the bullpen both Kensi and Deeks had immediately stopped whatever it had been that they'd been talking about. They'd both said good morning. He's stared for a long time before saying 'morning' back. Sam had shot him a smile, one that made Callen look around his desk suspiciously for booby-traps. When they'd gotten a case even Eric looked suspicious.

Nell was the only one with a proper poker face, and that only served to tell him that she was the puppet master in something.

_But what? _

::

"I think they're plotting something," Callen said to Nate as they leaned against the wire railings on the second floor overlooking the bullpen.

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

"I'm sure it's nothing bad."

"I'm not so sure."

Nate smiled. "I'm sure."

"They know something I don't... you know what they're up to. Don't you Nate?"

"It's my job to know things. I assure you, just sit back and go with the flow Callen, everything will be just fine," Nate assured the paranoid agent with a clap on the back and then the psychiatrist walked off in the direction of his office.

::

"This is so nice, I just might sleep with the same girl twice," Eric was singing as he and Nell came down the stairs and then stopped when he seen the agents all staring at him curiously. "It's from Dr Horrible's sing along blog... Nell started it," he blamed quickly and in good humour.

"They say it's better the second time," Nell cut in singing. "They say you get to do the weird stuff," they both started laughing.

"What the hell was it you two got this from?" Deeks asked with a large grin upon his face.

"It doesn't sound real," Kensi said with a giggle.

Nell and Eric looked to each other with the familiarity and synchronization of partners. "Movie night!" They declared.

"You guys really haven't seen the greatness which is the battle between Nathan Fillion," Eric said.

"Captain Hammer," Nell said.

"And Neil Patrick Harris!"

"Dr Horrible," Nell informed.

"Nope," Kensi replied.

"Never," Deeks agreed.

"Sounds odd," Sam said.

Nell looked over to Callen. "We could do it at our place."

"We still only have a chair at my place," Callen told her.

"Well, Deeks, you did say you'd help."

Deeks stood and cracked his fingers. "No time like the present."

::

Callen had signed out one of the NCIS trucks, it wasn't in use and the old clunker wasn't even available for missions out of fear it wouldn't start when an agent needed it too. It had taken a while, Callen and Deeks on one end of the couch, Sam and Kensi on the other, Eric and Nell rushing around getting doors and elevators open.

Two trips and they had the couch and love seat on the hardwood floors in the living room. There wasn't a television stand but a coffee table had taken up residence in Callen's place so it was propped up for the time being on it.

Nell poured drinks for everyone while Callen made the popcorn. "I can't believe I haven't made you watch this before," she said as she filled the final glass. "I'm constantly getting songs from it stuck in my head."

"Is there one about doing laundry?" Callen asked curiously.

"Yes," Nell said.

"I've heard you singing that one before around the apartment," he said wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck. "Let me give you a hand with those," he grabbed a few of the cups and together they moved them all into the living room where Eric was hooking up the DVD player and Kensi was going through the box of alphabetized movies to find the one they wanted.

Together the team sat on the two couches, Deeks and Kensi on the love seat, Eric, Sam, Callen on the couch and Nell sitting on his lap, her head resting against his shoulder. "I'm glad we did this," she whispered. The entire team together, unwinding from the day, and in another few days they'd be all together again at Sam's for Callen's surprise birthday party.

"Me too," he whispered back, he was rather surprised that the movie was so funny and was having a good time, Eric and Nell both talking along with their favourite parts and singing the songs. Sam trying to keep the mask of 'unimpressed' on when he was laughing too. Kensi bobbing her head to the tunes and Deeks's laugh was infectious as always.

"These are not the hammer," Eric said putting his fists up at the same time as Captain Hammer did on screen.

"The hammer is my penis," Nell and Eric said at the same time and everyone fell into uncontrollable laughter.

Kensi wiped tears from her eyes. "Rewind!" She called.

"Again," Deeks agreed.

::

Kensi and Deeks had carpooled, Kensi being the driver as usual. "So tomorrow we make cupcakes," Deeks said.

Kensi nodded in agreement. "Your place since it's more organized," she said. Her kitchen was a mess, even she couldn't find things in her kitchen.

"We'll need to go shopping for the ingredients, I think I have most of it," Deeks said. "I'll make a list of what I don't have tomorrow."

"Okay," Kensi replied quietly. The two of them silent as Kensi made a right turn into Deeks's driveway. "So..." she said her hands holding the bottom part of the wheel.

His hand a gentle caress under her chin to turn her head toward him so he could kiss her lightly on the lips. "I'd ask you in," he said with a playful smile, "But I don't want you to think I'm easy."

Kensi looked at him with innocence for a minute. "I'm wearing that black set of undergarments with the white lace."

"Want to come in?" Deeks said with his infectious grin.

She smiled. "I just wanted you to know what you're missing."

He glared, but secretly he liked how playful she was even if it did mean he had a date with a cold shower later on. "You can be such a tease."

"I'll pick you up tomorrow," she said leaning over for a kiss.

When her lips found his they were hot and demanding, one hand tangled into her hair in an attempt to hold her in place, the other hand sliding under her shirt and up to cup her breast. He groaned into the kiss. "I don't know why women choose to pair their panties with their bras," he said his lips just millimetres from hers. "But I sure am glad you do."

"Good night Marty," she whispered.

"G'night Kens," he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before walking from the car. He waved when she honked as she drove away. "Hey Monty," he greeted the dog as he walked in. "Kensi is a tease," he informed the dog who scratched at the door impatiently. "Alright, but the back door their buddy," he told the dog walking to the back part of his place and opening the sliding door Monty ran out onto the grass.

The state of his relationship was tedious, they had gone back and forth for so long. One minute they were intimate and the next they were weary, unsure of exactly what was expected and where the lines in the sand were. They needed some steady, uninterrupted time together and he sat back thinking about how to get just that.

::

"I didn't mean it like that," Nate said his hands up in a defensive, placating manner.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Sure you didn't."

"Rose..."

"You've been gone for nearly a year, Nate!" Rose's crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture. "You didn't even call me when you returned."

"I didn't-"

"Don't," Rose's voice raised with her anger. "Don't go making excuses, don't bother telling me more lies. I was always more serious about you than you were of me, I'm not stupid Nate but..." He could tell she was trying very hard to keep it together, to be strong and not to cry in front of him. He had felt it coming, her hostility barely leashed in their first encounter, their dinner together a series of lies and barely disguised barbs. "We weren't really... anything, were we? We made an agreement, that it was just company," Rose's words were mere whispers. "It's my fault for thinking I could make you feel something more."

"Rose," Nate tried again.

The petite coroner shook her hair, her short red hairs flying with the movement. "I was just someone to keep the bed warm to you."

"Rose, that isn't it," Nate tried yet again but her eyes narrowed dangerously at him.

"I'm going to find someone that actually deserves me. Goodbye Nate... I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for... or that you get away from whatever it is you're running from." The door to his apartment didn't slam, but shut quietly after she left.

Her last words dug into him, she was more perceptive than she seemed. Nate sighed and flopped down on his couch, he figured it was for the best. He shouldn't keep stringing the girl along with no real intent on anything more than company and occasionally a 'good time.' His plans for the night ruined he opened his laptop, at least this gave him time to work on his latest assignment. The fact that he so easily turned to his work showed him just how screwed up his 'relationship' with the coroner had been. It hadn't always been that way though, years ago they'd been closer, but she'd been going through school and he'd just started at NCIS but their schedules had complicated things, and when he'd gone away to join task forces as a profiler he'd been gone even longer, with no contact to her at all for nearly a year. It wasn't fair to her.

To him, well... this was what he chose. The quiet of an empty apartment, but the knowledge that what he did made a difference, and that just had to be enough.

::

**I can just see our two nerds loving Dr Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog :) If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it!**

**Thank you for the reviews/alerts/favs! I really appreciate it! **


	23. Chapter 23

"He's suspicious," Nell said standing over by Sam, Kensi and Deeks the next day in the bullpen. "How hard is it for you guys, special agents, masters of secrecy to keep this under wraps?" Nell looked at the agents incredulously.

"He knows us," Sam said.

"Too well," Kensi agreed.

"You're acting suspicious!" Nell said. "Come on, get it together!"

There was a whistle from the balcony and they all looked up to see Callen. "Always wanted to try that," he said with a smile. "We got a case!"

"Did G just whistle?" Nell said looking perplexed.

"He just took over whistling duties," Sam said with a shake of his head. "This better not be permanent."

::

The case had ran it's course through the day, and right up till eleven at night. Hetty had released them from duties saying that the paperwork could wait until morning and the agents, non to fond of paperwork, didn't argue.

Kensi grabbed her bag and her keys and Deeks was on her six in a second. "Operation Sprinkles is a go," he whispered.

"Operation Sprinkles?" Kensi tried to keep a straight face and failed, her smile became a short laugh. "Really?"

"Come on," he pulled out a list which seemed to be written in some kind of code.

She leaned into his body to see better and felt the heat from his body through her clothing. "What does that say?" She pointed to the first word.

"Flour. I'm out."

She shook her head. "You coded your grocery list."

"Just incase!" Deeks replied as they exited the office. The night was cool and he caught her shudder, he'd stripped out of his jacket and put it over her shoulders without asking, because if he asked he knew she'd be tough and say she was just fine but she wouldn't argue if the jacket was already off him and on her.

"Thanks," she whispered as they walked in relative silence the distance between the office and the garage where they heard some colourful cursing coming from. Kensi went in first. "Sierra?"

There were a pair of legs sticking out from under the car and then the rest of the body followed wheeled out. The blonde haired woman got up on her elbows and Sierra's blue eyes tore through Kensi making her shudder. "Please tell me you didn't get bullet holes in you SRX," Sierra said.

"It's bullet-less," Kensi insisted. She stepped a few more feet in and Deeks followed in close behind shutting the door to the cool air. "You okay?"

"Fine," Sierra said cooly.

"I heard you cursing," Kensi said. She and Sierra had once been close, being two of the very few female agents in the Office of Special Projects required some form of sisterhood to bond between them. But then Sierra's partner had been killed, and the blonde woman became hollow and vacant for a long time, now, years later she had a bit of life breathed back into her, but she was still haunted by those memories.

Sierra stood at this. "A couple of years ago no one would be worried if I cursed myself blue in the face," her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm fine Kensi."

Before either woman could talk anymore, Agent Noah Faraday from Renko's team came in. "Sierra, I need a car, beaten up but still a solid runner...oh," he said noticing Kensi and Deeks. "After them."

"They're going home," Sierra said walking away from Kensi and grabbing the clipboard of available cars. Without looking Sierra spoke cooly. "Good night Kensi."

Kensi knew when she was being dismissed and she walked through the garage and down the stairs with Deeks in tow. "Were you two... friends before?"

Kensi stopped on the landing between staircases and turned to face him, he looked down at her expectantly. He'd always opened up to her, and she was doing her best to open up to him, for their partnership, and more, for their budding relationship.

"The women in this office are outnumbered four to one, you take away support staff and it's more like six to one for agents. Sierra and I didn't work together, but... we spared together from time to time. We bitched to one another when the testosterone in our work became to much. We'd go out for cosmos and be each other's wing... woman?" She shrugged. "We had a comradery." Kensi bit her lip. "She was in the hospital for a while... you know, after her partner was killed. She was...she had been..." Kensi couldn't bring herself to tell Deeks what she'd been through.

Deeks's hand cupped her face and she instinctively leaned into the touch. It was comforting to know he was right there, and it was nice to finally have someone to talk to, knowing no matter what, her partner, her lover... her Deeks would have her back.

"Their mission went south and it destroyed her... I had cases, we were being worked to the bone, all the cases that team, now destroyed, was getting put on other teams, for weeks it was work and sleep. Callen was sleeping on the couch, I took the chair every now and then not even wanting to bother with driving home... I wasn't there for her Deeks. I couldn't be." She wasn't even just talking about time. What would she have said to that woman who'd lost in a way Kensi couldn't even fathom? There was nothing Kensi could do to make a difference for Sierra, so she did her job because there, she could make a difference. "We're friendly enough to one another now... but... I guess she's right. Everyone treats her like she's some frail flower now. Everyone ignores the fact she was one of the best agents this office had."

"Maybe you should invite her out sometime, catch up... have cosmos again," Deeks suggested and Kensi wondered if Sierra would even consider such a thing. "Sounds like everyone either avoids her or walks on eggshells around her... how would it make you feel?"

Deeks had a point, Kensi couldn't imagine the trauma, and then... no one had been there, no one had known what to say, or what to do... so no one had done anything. Kensi let out a sad sigh. "Come on, lets get flour," but her mind wasn't on flour, it was on the battered memories of shared smiles, cosmo's and dance moves.

::

Callen had done another two trips of boxes from Nell's apartment to his house... or their house as he was trying to get to thinking of it as. It was strange to go from such a nomadic lifestyle to living in a house. Stranger yet was the fact that living with Nell felt so... natural. Moving her into his house made it seem more like a _home_.

He let himself back into the apartment to find that Nell had fallen asleep on the floor where her couch use to be, a book slipping through her fingers. She was in a little white, lacy nightgown that she hadn't been wearing when he'd left. It was beautiful thing, rather innocent looking especially with her youthful features and it was most definitely new. He knew every article of clothing she owned, he did spend enough time seeing her in them, and more importantly he spent great care in taking them off of her.

She'd been so tired when they'd gotten back, and for the better part of a week she'd been trying to push her way through that book. He shook his head, she usually kept a book mark on the coffee table, but the coffee table was now at his place. He found a scrap bit of paper and carefully took the book from her hand marking her page before setting it on the breakfast bar.

He looked down at her, he briefly thought of waking her but didn't have the heart to do it, so he just scooped her up. She made a discontented sound at the movement but snuggled up to him as he carried her down the hall and into the bedroom.

::

Deeks was drinking from his coffee mug as Kensi drove the cart through the grocery store, because if it had wheels, Kensi was doing the driving. They had most of the items on the list and were picking up the decorative icing from the baking aisle. "I can't say I thought I'd be making cupcakes at midnight," Kensi said making a grabbing motion at him and he passed her the coffee.

They didn't take it the same, Deeks preferring two sugars and soy milk while Kensi went for five percent creme and four sugars. She made a bit of a face at his stronger more bitter coffee but took a second gulp trying to keep her senses alive.

"Well, we're young, we'll be fine. Besides," Deeks said pointing to two, four packs of Redbull. "We'll have assistance."

They grabbed the decorative icing in red, blue and green and then made their way to the check out.

::

"Hey," Eric said softly. "I woke you, didn't I?" Guilt laced into his tone, he should have gone home but the sirens call had been too strong.

"Yeah," Bethany responded tightening the blue silk robe around her body, it was obvious that it was doing nothing to protect her from the cold. "It's okay though, come in." He moved in and shut the door behind him. She studied him for a minute before touching his face and the stubble that had taken residence there. "You look like you haven't slept in a week... is... are you okay?"

Eric nodded but apparently it wasn't very convincing from the look Bethany shot at him. She gave him a quick peck on the lips and wrapped her arms around his neck and from the movement he realized two things pretty quickly, one: she hadn't tied her robe, and two: she wasn't wearing anything under the robe. His hands went over the warm skin of her hips, moved around the small of her back and pulled her closer, holding her. "It's okay," she whispered in comfort, despite not even knowing what she was comforting him from, he figured she was doing a pretty good job."

She moved just slightly so she could stare up into his eyes. "Come to bed with me," she said taking a step back and grabbing his hand. He followed her as she walked backwards in the darkness her eyes never leaving his.

He realized a second too late that she had stopped and he'd walked into her, he could see her smile in the dimly lit room. The blinds weren't completely shut, and the outside building lights were filtering into the bedroom. "I missed you," Eric said, his lips touching hers for the briefest of seconds. They stood their for a long moment held in an embrace.

"Come, get some sleep, Eric," Bethany insisted giving him another pull and then pushing him into her bed. He heard the rustle of the silk falling from her body and piling on the floor. Her smooth warm body sliding into bed next to him. Her lips kissed his cheek. "Sleep," she told him resting her head on his shoulder and with her warmth next to him his eyes finally shut.

::

Monty had stared at them coming in with the groceries and looked at them like they were idiots, and then laid his head back down and went back to chasing cats in his dreams.

They got to work quickly mixing up the batter from the recipe Deeks had written out- again in code. He was such an over grown child.

Deeks basically took charge of the kitchen, knowing where everything was an he didn't even look at the recipe or the directions, he seemed to already know what he was doing which made Kensi smile. "You're rather domesticated," she said with a grin as he put the four racks of cupcakes into the oven.

He smiled back at her, stepping forward slowly looking down at her like she was prey and he was stalking her, and damn it if it wasn't a turn on. He gave a smirk and then she blinked shocked as white flour was dumped over her head, all through her hair, over her face falling around her like snow. She wiped her face slowly and licked her lips trying not to scream at him.

Instead she grabbed an egg and quickly squished it against his head. "Oh gross, egg in my ear! Egg in my ear!"

Kensi laughed and ducked when he grabbed hold of a pre-measured amount of milk and tried to pour it on her. Monty stuck his head in, decided the two were crazy and returned to his doggy bed. "Marty! What are you doing!" She shouted at him looking for something to throw.

He grabbed her from behind, around the waist and pulled her to the bathroom. "We're all dirty, we got to get cleaned up."

"The cupcakes! What about Operation Sprinkles!" Once out of her mouth she was wondering just how much exhaustion and caffeine could do to her system.

"It's on a timer, don't worry!" he responded before he bit down gently on her ear causing her to wiggle in his grasp. His warm hands were under her shirt and roaming over the flat plains of her abdomen. Kisses were placed strategically avoiding the flour. She reached forward and turned on the water setting it to temperature before slowly stripping off her shirt and looking over her shoulder at Deeks.

His looked over the newly exposed skin and he returned the gesture by pulling his own shirt over his head. She bit her lip as she looked him over but it wasn't long before his lips were crashing down on hers and warm hands roamed, she pulled down the zipper on his pants that were beginning to seem a little snugger than minutes earlier. She smirked at him, he made no comment but had her pants pooled around her feet in a second. "Come on, lets get you cleaned off," he said, his voice tight and even if she couldn't see, couldn't feel she could hear he was aroused.

"Want me to make you a Woody?"

"Smart ass," he muttered picking her up and stepping in while she shrieked in his ear.

"We are still... partially dressed!" She said.

"Yeah," he said setting her down under the hot water looking her over in her wet bra and panties. He licked his lips. "But your only wearing white."

She looked down and sure enough the fabric was completely see through. But then again, so were parts of his blue and white striped boxers so she was all for it.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	24. Chapter 24

Nell hit the button on her alarm clock to stop it. She looked over to find that Callen had actually slept through the noise and was looking rather peaceful for once. She smiled and got out of bed stretching tall with her arms above her head getting the stiffness out of her back before she shuffled over to the bathroom. She was use to working late and still getting up early to go back in and do her job, she only really needed six hours these days.

She moved quickly in the morning energized and ready for the big day ahead. Work and then Callen's surprise party, she was so excited but she knew she had to keep her emotions to herself as not to give away the surprise. She took the quickest shower of her life, and took the extra time to style her hair and do her makeup.

Callen was still sleeping when she crept back into the bedroom. She had planned on hiding the sexy lingerie in her go bag and changing at work so he wouldn't see it in the morning, but since he was still asleep she quickly got into the sexy little number. The black La Perla, Sinfornia corset had little black pleats along the top of the bust, nude fabric covered with leaf designed lace, it had cost her a fortune. The matching thong dangling from her fingertips left her wondering if she had been in her right mind when she'd thought of this idea, she'd paid over a hundred dollars for just the thong and having never worn a one before she wondered why the hell she had decided on this.

She looked over at the still sleeping Callen and smiled. _That's why_.

She quickly slipped them on and hooked up the garter on the corset to the leaf lace stockings she'd purchased to match the lingerie. She quickly grabbed a sexy little black dress to wear over it all before he woke and she grabbed a beige slightly studded cardigan to throw over it. Sure, she looked a little more spiffy than normal, but she was quite sure no one would mention her switch from tights to stockings for the day.

She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek to wake him. He moved a bit in his sleep so she kissed him again on the lips until he reacted and responded. His hand at the base of her neck he nipped on her bottom lip playfully and soothed it with his lips once more, sitting up a bit and she pulled back before it got too heated, she needed to leave for work. "Good morning," she said with a enthusiastic smile.

"Good morning," he responded grabbing her around the waist and pulling her down into bed, pinning her beneath him. "That was a wonderful way to wake up."

"Happy birthday G," she said softly staring up into his blue eyes.

He looked confused for a minute. "Is it already the eleventh?"

"Yes, of March," she responded. "I double checked."

He laughed. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she responded. "But you got to let me up or I'll be late."

He looked over at her alarm clock, displaying the time and sighed knowing she didn't have a lot of wiggle room for traffic as it was. He moved carefully off of her and pulled her up off the bed. "Nice dress," he commented.

"Thanks," she said tucking some of her hair behind her ear. She kissed his cheek. "I got to go birthday boy, but you'll get your present later." She kissed his lips. "I love you."

He smiled back. "Love you too."

::

"Hey Eric," Nell greeted coming in and then caught sight of the bruise on his head. "Eric! What happened? Are you alright," her hand stroked over his head pushing back some of his hair that wasn't styled like it usually was.

"Fine," he responded. "Little surfing accident this morning, board landed on my head."

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Eric assured. "Really."

She studied him for another few minutes checking his eyes for signs that he was lying or in pain. Finding none she tossed her bag into the cubby and sat down next to him. "You look like you actually got some sleep," she said with out looking at him, fearful that she might be crossing a line that was better left untouched. She couldn't help but glance over quick, finding him sending her a little grin she let out a sigh and relaxed her stiff posture and actually turned to face him.

"I did," he said. "I'm okay, really," he assured again.

She nodded, he wanted it dropped, she could tell and for once she kept her mouth shut.

"Here's what we got for the day," he said sliding her the file and the two of them got to work at pulling up files, and getting the ops centre ready for briefing.

::

Kensi and Deeks were still awake, with how late they left the office, the grocery shopping, cupcake making, the quicky in the shower, letting the cupcakes cool and decorating them they had decided to go out for an early morning surf to wake them back up. The icy waters worked, so did the shower they shared and the Redbull's they drank and packed with them as they got into the SRX and headed in to work.

Kensi drove with her knee as she took the last bite of a cupcake she'd stolen for breakfast. She put one hand back on the wheel and licked vanilla icing off her thumb on the other hand. "Mmm, we make good cupcakes."

"We're pretty good together," was Deeks's rather insightful reply. She could just tell he wasn't talking about just making cupcakes, but on a entirely different level she knew and he knew they just... fit.

"We are," she said parking in her space and smiling over at him. "Come on, lets get to work before Hetty skins us."

"Wow, cupcakes to getting skinned, got to love this job," Deeks replied shutting the door behind him.

::

Nate was looking out the window of his office. There wasn't much of a view, he could only see the garage where another car was being towed in, bullet ridden and by the looks of it had been set on fire. He seen the blonde haired, blue eyed mechanic, her arms crossed over her chest and the body language from the distance told him that she was annoyed. He hadn't been with NCIS when Sierra had been an agent, he hadn't been there when she'd fallen from her former glory either.

He walked out of his office and looked down at the bullpen. Kensi and Deeks had walked in together talking. Deeks was shaking his head and then he threw it back in laughter that echoed up to the second floor where Nate was standing.

He knew what had happened to Sierra and her partner, he'd read the file, the reports- they'd become a cautionary tale for NCIS agents. It could happen to any of them. Deeks and Kensi looked nothing like the former agents, but there was no denying how crippling for the other it would be if they were to watch the other being murdered.

Agents being close was a two sided coin. One side it was good, they had a trust, a friendship bonded through the best moments and the worst. They would be there for each other, go to great lengths and gave each other hope. On the other side, being too close could have adverse effects, with what they do, the death of one could destroy the other. One being injured could cloud judgements and end in one or both parties being dead.

Nate saw Kensi punch Deeks playfully in the arm, he still had a smile, and when Kensi turned away from Deeks, Nate saw that she too was smiling.

Nate in that moment decided that the closeness was best, because despite everything they'd been through, despite their personal demons and the atrocities they seen in their working lives... there they were, sitting at their desks, joking, laughing, smiling.

Smiling too, Nate returned to his office.

::

Their case was fairly basic, it was one they'd been working for a while still doing surveillance on. Callen lifted the camera and took a few more shots of the arms dealers entering the building. "I'm getting sick of watching these guys."

"We got to know how they're getting the military's firearms, G," Sam said with his eyes closed listening to the jazz music that was filling the Challenger. "We take them in, they'll lawyer up and we'll have nothing."

"I know why we aren't moving in," Callen replied grumpily as he shifted in his seat. He set down the camera and checked the time. "Four hours! We've been watching this place for four hours!"

"_We've been watching a retirement facility for four hours,"_ Kensi's voice came grumpily through their earwigs. _"So no bitching." _

"You watching Jeopardy thought he windows?" Callen asked with a smile.

"_The Price is Right,"_ Deeks replied causing the senior agents to shake their heads. _"Hey, Kens, we got another Redbull?" _

"_That's your fourth!"_ Kensi said._ "There are rules about energy drinks, I don't want to have to call poison control." _

"_There is nothing on this can that say's I can't drink more than a case," _Deeks argued.

"_You've already had to pee once for every can and you can't get your leg to stop jumping." _

"I know I said to keep me informed," Callen said playfully. "But I meant about the case Kensi, I really don't need to know about Deeks's bladder issue."

::

While Eric worked, Nell had gone quickly to work with Michelle and Eloise on decorating the Hanna residence with streamers. "Renko gave me this," Nell took the confetti bomb from the box carefully. "He said it was payback for the payback..."

"What is it?" Eloise asked.

"A confetti bomb, likely packed with glitter," Nell said with a grin.

"I like glitter," Zoe said sitting cross legged on the floor waving her bubble wand.

"Me too," Nell told the girl with a smile.

"I'm excited," Zoe said standing leaving her bubbles behind. "It's Uncle G's birthday. We got candles so he can make a wish."

Nell smiled at the little girl. "Friends are bringing cupcakes, we can stick candles in them."

"Daddy says if we light all the candles, we'd burn the house down," Zoe said. "We better light them outside.

All three of the women laughed.

::

Nell came back to work before the agents did thanks to a well timed call from Eric and the entire team ended up in the bullpen when Hetty walked up to them. "Good work today, the paperwork can wait, go on, get home," Hetty dismissed.

Callen eyed the tiny woman as she walked off toward her office. "No paperwork, two nights in a row?"

Nell smiled. "Come on," she said. None of the other agents had mentioned the birthday, all of them pretending to have forgotten- Nell figured it was likely if they said anything their faces of undeluded joy would give their surprise away. "I have plans for you."

"_Really_?" Callen said with a smile.

"Yeah, the _bed_." She replied temptingly and his eyes darkened a bit. "It's got to be moved," she said.

He groaned."You're cruel."

"At least I've wrangled some help," Nell said and Callen raised an eyebrow in question.

"I still don't know how I got drafted," Renko said walking in wearing a black shirt, dark jeans and a black leather jacket. "Doesn't quite seem fair."

Nell smiled. "Lets go, I want to pick up colour swatches for the room."

::

"You owe me," Renko said rubbing his back. "I'm way to old for this shit."

"You're younger than I am," Callen leaned in and pointed at the other man's head of shaggy hair. "That a grey?"

Renko swatted the other man's hand. "Fuck off, G," he said but it was said with a smile. "See you two soon!" He gave a wave as he headed off to his car.

"That's everything," Nell said. "All of our stuff is under one roof." She looked at all the boxes, it would be a pain to find time to put everything away, but eventually... this place would be just perfect.

Callen's phone went off and Nell checked her dainty silver watch, right on time.

"Hello?" Callen answered it.

"_Hi Uncle G!"_ Zoe said. _"I miss you, come visit please!" _

"Aww," Nell said having heard. "We could pop in," she said with a smile.

Callen shrugged. "I'll be there soon."

"_Bye, bye!"_ Zoe hung up.

::

Everyone had parked in a school lot a block away and walked the extra distance to the Hanna residence. Renko was the last one in, running his hand over his shaggy dark locks. "Last one?" He asked joining everyone in the kitchen.

"Just waiting for Nell to bring the birthday boy," Michelle informed him, having met him once at the hospital when Callen had been injured.

Renko smiled nodding his head in the direction of the confetti bomb. "Got the trigger?" Michelle handed it over with a smile.

"Daddy!" Zoe said running in.

"He's here!" Zachary ended for his sister.

"Places!" Deeks said and everyone went to either side of the doorway to the kitchen so they wouldn't be seen.

::

Callen waited as Nell stepped out of the car and he took her hand, shutting her door for her. "Did I tell you yet today that you look beautiful?" He asked her, his eyes roaming over her body, the tightly fit bodice on the dress that flared out at the top of her hips and hit just above the knee, the leaf design on her stockings were sexy and unusual for Nell and he knew it. The black heels she wore gave her a little extra height, but she still had to look up at him.

"You told me I had a nice dress," she replied staring up at him.

"Well, since I didn't say it earlier, you look beautiful," he whispered.

She knew everyone was waiting inside but she just couldn't resist falling into the kiss he bestowed upon her. She pulled back once her brain cells were working again. "Come on, lets get inside before a pair of little eyes spot us."

He grinned and followed her up to the door and knocked. Zoe looked through the window at the side and Callen waved at her. He heard the lock click open and the door was pulled with a heave. "Hi Uncle G!" she said reaching up and he bent down to meet her for the hug, she pulled back and curtsied in her little purple dress, she then did a twirl. "Like my dress?"

"It's beautiful," Callen replied moving so Nell could get in. "Where's your Mom and Dad?"

"They're on the deck," Zoe replied innocently but she was beaming at Nell. The back deck was through the sliding doors of the kitchen. "Hi Nell!"

"Hi Zoe, that's a lovely dress."

"Yours is pretty too," Zoe responded before grabbing Callen's hand. "Come on Uncle G!"

Nell walked past him since he was walking at Zoe's pace, she wanted to avoid the confetti bomb, but she really wanted to see his face. She walked into the kitchen first and smiled at Renko who was standing behind the wall with the trigger in hand. She turned on her heel. "Slow poke," she taunted.

"That's just unca-"

The confetti bomb went off startling the secret agent and everyone jumped out yelling, "Surprise! Happy Birthday!"

Nell studied his face as it happened, immediately the crack of the confetti bomb had startled him, and she noticed the quick movement that had put Zoe behind him. The second was the shock of all of his friends and honorary family popping out. Third was the realization he was now covered in gold glitter. Slowly a smile twitched at the side of his face, and then he looked at her. "I knew you were up to something!"

She beamed at him stepping up and brushing some of the glitter and confetti mix from his shoulder. "Happy birthday, G," she said kissing him quickly, after all, they were in public and the La Perla could wait.

::

**More birthday madness to come :) Thanks for reading!**


	25. Chapter 25

**OMG over three hundred reviews! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I appreciate each and every one of them! **

**Birthday Madness continues!**

::

He couldn't believe the streamers hanging in the Hanna residence, or that he was covered in gold glitter, or that for the first time in his life he was actually, really celebrating his birthday.

In his first quick look around the room, he noticed that everyone was dressed up for the occasion. It was a procession of hugs and good wishes; after Nell came Kensi in a gunmetal dress with studded embellishments. "Happy birthday!" She hugged him tightly and gave him a quick friendly peck on the cheek before stepping out of the way so the procession could continue.

Deeks seemed to be dressing to match with a pair of deep grey trousers and a tucked in white shirt. They were less of huggers, more of that clasp hands hit each other on the back once and back off kind of friendship. "Happy birthday Callen, big four-oh!"

"Don't remind me," Callen groaned and figured he would be on the ass end of the 'Lordy, Lordy look who's forty' by the end of the night.

Eloise and Paul were both there, dressed in the same semi-formal attire everyone else was in. Paul gave him a hit to the shoulder, the man packed the same punch as Sam. "Happy birthday, Kid."

Callen smiled and nodded before Eloise pulled him down for a crushing hug. "Happy birthday Gregory," none of the agents said anything, knowing enough to keep their mouths shut.

"Thanks Ellie," he responded.

Renko was the exception to the semi-formal rule had changed from a black t-shirt to a black collared shirt, but he still wore it with jeans and the jacket. The man smiled. "Told you I'd be seeing you soon."

"Gold glitter?" Callen said to him. "Really?"

"Payback is a bitch."

"Little ears, Mike!" Callen scolded as he covered Zoe's ears.

"Sorry, sorry," Renko replied. "My bad." Callen let go of Zoe's head and she ran off to play. "Remember, you're not forty, you're eighteen with twenty two years of experience," he said with a smile, Callen laughed and they had a brief brotherly hug.

"I'll share that wisdom when it's your turn, Mike," Callen replied.

Eric was with Bethany, he'd ditched his board shorts for a pair of trousers which shocked Callen as much as the collared blue shirt and tie. The flip-flops had apparently been non-negotiable and were still on the Technical Operator's feet. "Another year older," Eric said with a smile.

"Another year wiser," Callen argued and the two men quickly hugged.

"Happy birthday," Bethany said rather shyly before giving him a quick hug.

"Happy birthday, Mr Callen," Hetty was next, dressed immaculately as always in a white suit. She pulled him down for a hug and the height difference neared comical levels.

"Happy birthday Uncle G!" Zachary plowed into him from the side.

"Hey, Zack, thanks!"

"I tricked you," Zoe said shuffling her feet with a mischievous grin on her face.

"You did, you really did," Callen replied bending down when she made the motion for another hug, she added a kiss to his cheek before going to play with her brother.

"Callen," Nate greeted with a smile, dressed in a classic black suit that was very Nate. "Happy birthday." Another round of hugs and thanks.

Sam grinned. "God damn you're sparkly."

"If there weren't little ears," Callen said with a shake of his head.

"Happy birthday G," Sam said and they shared a brotherly hug.

Michelle came up next. "You don't look a day past thirty," she said with a wink.

He smiled at this and then looked a little shocked and grabbed her left hand. "Holy shit!"

"Little ears!" Renko said covering Zoe's ears making the little girl laugh.

"Sorry," Callen said still looking at the ring, he looked at Michelle who was smiling, and then to Sam who had his arm around Michelle's waist. "You two... when? Why didn't you say anything, Sam?"

"Work," Sam replied. "It just... didn't come up."

Callen opened his mouth and then looked at Zoe who was running after her brother and cut off the curse word at the end of his tongue. "Congratulations," he said finally coming out of a daze.

"You two are getting remarried?" Nell said looking at the impressive rock on Michelle's finger.

"Wow," Kensi said looking at it.

"Congratulation," Deeks said clasping Sam on the shoulder.

"Thanks guys," Sam responded the couple both looking very happy.

::

It took a while but the party migrated to the back deck where Sam was in control of the barbecue. Zachary was playing up in the little fort that was attached to a slide and the swing set where his sister was swinging back and forth. Michelle and Eloise were shooting ideas about the wedding around and it wasn't long before Kensi and Nell got into the estrogenfest making sounds of joy when Michelle talked about flower arrangements, or cakes.

"So," Callen said drinking a beer, sitting on a stool by the barbecue with Sam and the rest of the men at the party. "Getting married again."

"Yes," Sam said flipping a steak. "You said well, didn't you?"

"You know I like it medium rare, don't joke about burning my steak," Callen replied with a smirk.

The song changed and Deeks got a grin on his face. It was Kensi's Ipod in the player, Nell had left Kensi with the music task, mostly because Kensi had an eight gig player filled. "Kensi," he said and when she didn't turn he raised his voice a bit. "Kensi!"

She turned to him and smiled. "Yeah!"

"Turn it up!"

"We're going to get noise complaints," Sam said.

"Okay, Gramps," Deeks replied. "But not too loud, we got old men over here!" Kensi laughed and turned up the beat a bit, a song she knew full well was the one she and Deeks had danced to at Stellar. Memories of that night came back in a flash and she bit her lip. Deeks drained his beer and put it into the box of empties. "We are segregated from the women like this is a sixth grade dance," Deeks said with a shake of his head. "Mingle, men. Need a wingman?" he said nudging Nate.

"I'm good," the phycologists who was leaning against the railing of the deck replied.

Deeks rocked and turned on his heels as the men watched. Kensi shook her head, then she laughed, she punched his shoulder but eventually she coaxed her out of her chair and down onto the lawn where the two danced with more grace then they had before. For once they were in tune, in time with both the beat and each other. The pace was quick and both looked up to the challenge the bit of alcohol smoothing over the nerves of dancing in front of the others.

"Ellie," Paul said extending a hand to his wife. "Lets show these youngins' how it's done."

The woman smiled, laugh lines wrinkling around her eyes as they headed to the grass.

Callen and Nell looked to each other, Nell biting her lip, Callen with a smirk on his face as he abandoned his beer on the stool he'd vacated and grabbed her hand. "Care to dance?"

"I'll try and let you lead," Nell said. "But you know how I am."

His lips met hers in a gentle, slow burn of a kiss. They stared at each other for a second when they broke apart, Callen nodded toward the grass and together they walked down the stairs and joined in.

Eric and Bethany wasn't far behind, the blonde woman had some smooth moves and even managed to make the uncoordinated Eric look like he knew what he was doing.

"Go dance with your girl," Renko said to Sam taking the tongs, and thus taking over barbecuing duties.

"I don't trust you with the steaks," Sam said simply taking the tongs back.

Renko glared for a minute, then looked over at Michelle who was happily bobbing her head to the song. "Fine, I'll dance with her," Renko said turning heel and sweeping Michelle off her feet, Sam keeping a watchful eye but Renko kept his hands to himself and a respectable dancing distance.

"Interesting pairs," Nate noted.

"Teams are made of them," Hetty said.

"Gah," Nate jumped and nearly spilt his beer. "Make some noise when you walk!"

Hetty smiled at the psychologist. "Sorry Mr Getz, I didn't realize you were so jumpy these days." The elder woman studied him from behind her glasses and Nate wondered what it was she saw.

As the music changed, so did the partners. Zoe got dancing with Renko, the tall man bent half over to twirl her around. Callen dancing with Ellie, Eric with Kensi, Deeks with Bethany, Nell with Zachary. Paul came up and extended a hand to Hetty. "Come on," he said and Hetty gave a shrug and took his hand.

Michelle came up and grabbed Nate's arm. "You too!"

"I just... okay," he said realizing that no amount of complaining, or explaining would get him out of it, he didn't even have time to set down his drink before he was dragged down the stairs and into the mix of friends, his lack of coordination didn't matter because everyone was smiles and laughter.

::

Steaks, hot dogs and hamburgers were eaten with salad, champagne and beer. Plates were cleared while conversations were shot around the large deck table. They were a few chairs short, but Michelle was sitting on Sam's lap, Kensi had made Deeks scoot over so they could both kind of sit on a chair, and Nell was perched on Callen's leg.

Nell studied his face, and was so happy they had been able to pull the party off. He hadn't stopped smiling since the confetti bomb went off. Callen looked over and caught her staring, she didn't mind being caught, it didn't embarrass her like it would have a year ago. She smiled at the sexy secret agent she called her own. "Having a good time?" she whispered in his ear.

"The best," he replied.

Kensi and Deeks were in their own little discussion and then both got up as Michelle started clearing plates. Deeks came back out wrangling Zachary and Zoe. Callen started getting suspicious all over again.

Ellie diverted his attention with a quick question. "When you marrying this wonderful creature?"

Callen looked over at Nell who stared back at him with a little smile on her face.

He was saved from having to answer when Kensi and Deeks came out with lit up platters of cupcakes Zachary and Zoe. "Happy birthday to you," they started singing together, the two children quickly joining in. "Happy birthday to you," everyone at the table started singing and Callen looked over to Nell, the two smiling at each other while Nell kept singing, flash of a camera went off capturing the moment. "Happy birthday dear-" and that was where things got messy, Sam, Michelle, Renko and Nell said 'G,' Kensi, Deeks, Eric, Bethany and Nate said, 'Callen," Eloise and Paul said 'Gregory,' Hetty said, "Mr Callen," and Zachary and Zoe said 'Uncle G.' They all managed to come togther for the last line. "Happy birthday to you."

"We should have gone with, 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," Renko said with a laugh.

"But that would be a lie," Sam said with a shake of his head and a sly smile.

Callen put a hand over his heart. "I'm hurt Sam."

"You'll get over it," his partner responded.

"Blow out the candles Uncle G!" Zachary told him.

"No!" Zoe protested. "You got to make a wish first!"

"What should I wish for?" Callen asked her.

"Whatever you want most!" Zoe told him.

Callen smiled and shut his eyes for her sake so she would know he was making a wish and then he pulled her up on his other knee. "I need you guys to help me blow out the candles."

"Quickly," Sam said. "Before they catch the umbrella on fire."

"Ha-ha," Callen responded dryly. He then looked to his two god-children. "Ready?"

They both nodded. "One, two, three!" It took a couple of extra breaths, but the three of them blew out the forty candles on as many cupcakes. Whistles, cheers and people clapping, there was a flash of Ellie's camera to capture the moment of friends.

::

The cupcakes weren't eaten. They were devoured.

"You two really outdid yourself," Eloise said looking at Kensi and Deeks.

"It was nothing," Kensi said looking over at Deeks who was smiling.

"Don't listen to her," Deeks protested. "She got egg in my ear! How hard is it to keep egg in a bo- OW!" He derailed when Kensi punched him in the arm.

Ellie nudged Nate. "They've got a 'thing' going on, don't they."

"Doctor patient confidentiality," Nate deflected with a smile.

"I'll take that as a yes," Eloise responded.

::

With everyone but the children having champagne Callen raised his glass and it took only a second before attention was on his. "Thank you, all of you for doing this for me."

"You were surprised," Sam said.

"You still got some glitter on you, right..." Renko gestured to his entire body. "Everywhere."

Callen knew the kids were on the little playground so he flipped Renko the bird.

"And the night is still young," Nell tempted.

Kensi and Deeks looked like small children, the way their eyes lit up. "Presents." They both got up, Renko and Nate following to give them a hand. The four of them were back quickly with wrapped boxes stacked on top of one another, the children having seen it ran back over to get in their seats.

Callen looked more sentimental than he ever had, and Sam was sure the man would blame it on the champagne. "You guys really didn't have to do all this."

"We wanted to," Kensi said like there was a 'duh' stuck at the end.

"This one first," Zoe said pushing a box wrapped in blue paper, sliver ribbon and a large bow. 'Happy Birthday' was all that was written on the envelope stuck under the ribbon.

He pulled out the envelope and ripped it open. "Only time I can say I've ever wanted your letter opener, Hetty."

The elder woman smiled, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

He pulled out three cards from the envelope. The first was a picture of balloons drawn in crayon, the inside had neatly printed 'happy birthday' in Michelle's writing, Zoe had signed it. Little 'Z' big 'o' and a capital 'e.' It was the first birthday card he'd ever opened and a smile fitted his face. "Thank you Zoe, it's wonderful."

"Welcome Uncle G," she responded happily before skipping off to climb up on her father's knee.

The other card featured a cake, drawn in pencil crayon and Zachary's scrawl inside. "Thanks Zack." He knew where these cards were going, in his box.

The third card was store bought, obviously Michelle from the cutsey poem about friendship and being another year older. Their gift; a pack of imported beer. Callen looked up with a grin. "Belgian."

"You're a sucker for the good stuff," Sam said with a shrug.

"Thanks, both of you."

"Don't open that one," Renko warned grabbing the one Callen reached for and put it on the ground beside him. "Little eyes."

"Oh God," Kensi said leaning forward. "What's it?"

"I obviously can't say," Renko responded leaning back.

"Blow up doll," Deeks guessed.

"Why do you need a doll that blows up?" Zoe asked.

"Go play kids," Sam shooed. Neither of the children minded, their present had been delivered and the rest of the adult talk wouldn't be interesting. Zachary took off running and Zoe chased after.

"You remember your thirty fifth birthday?" Renko asked putting the gift back on the table and giving it a shove in Callen's direction.

"Not much of it," Callen responded eyeing the box suspiciously. "It was actually the day after, and you tried to drink me under the table."

"Yeah, good times," Renko said as Callen tore through the paper. He looked at the box in his hand and went into a fit of laughter as everyone leaned in to see. "Candy 'G'-string," Renko said. "And I don't want to know what happens to it."

"What does a candy g-string have to do with the drinking under the table day after birthday stuff?" Nell asked curiously.

Callen, Renko and Sam shared a look and then shook their heads.

"You're not going to tell me," Nell said.

"Another time," Callen whispered.

Kensi and Deeks had gone together to get him two court side Lakers tickets. Eloise and Paul had gotten him a fancy lamp, which Nell was now planning an entire room of decor around. Nate had gotten him a new leather wallet, Callen's had been falling apart. Eric and Bethany's gift card to a Moroccan restaurant Callen had mentioned some months ago that he'd been wanting to try out.

Hetty got him a silk tie. "Black," she said. "So it's less likely you'll ruin it." It was a jab, but he took it in stride, there was a second one in the box, a blue that matched his eyes. "For special occasions, when you're extra careful," Hetty said.

Callen looked over at Nell and smiled.

"Your gift is at home," she said with a matching grin.

"Uh huh," Renko said tossing back the rest of his champagne and was pleasantly buzzed "That's code for birthday sex."

"Mike!" Kensi through a bit of cupcake she hadn't been able to finish (it was her forth) and it left icing in his hair.

"I could hardly bring the gift while I was going in the same car with him," Nell told Renko, hoping the heat in her face was unnoticed since it was getting dark on the patio.

Renko looked at her for a minute, eyes grazing over her body to the stockings. "Bullshit, those need a garter."

"Michael!" Kensi broke the word into two distinct syllables.

"You'll make great mom someday," Renko said to Kensi with a smile.

"And Mike's drunk," Sam said shaking his head. Michelle leaving to put the kids to sleep.

"Need a ride home, Mr Renko?" Hetty offered getting up.

"Na, I'll stay a while longer. Don't worry Hetty, I'll get a cab."

Hetty gave a nod. "Good night Ladies and Gentlemen."

"We should head out too," Paul said, he and Eloise getting up. All three gave some last minute birthday wishes and hugs, while Callen again gave thanks. Eloise and Hetty left speaking in hushed tones and everyone at the table had suspicions as to what it was they were talking about.

The group talked for a couple more hours, sharing drinks, laughs and smiles before calling it a night. "How many cabs am I calling?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine," Nell said, she'd only had one glass of champagne hours ago with dinner. "I can take three in the back seat.

"Oh me please," Kensi said, her head rested against Deeks's shoulder, too far gone to realize she shouldn't be doing it in front of everyone.

"Me too," Deeks said.

"Me three," Nate said before taking the last sip of his drink.

"I'm okay to drive," Bethany said, since she wasn't a champagne or beer drinker she'd stuck to soda water. "If you'll let me drive the beast," she flashed a smile at Eric who dropped his keys in her hand.

"Mike?" Sam said.

But Renko's phone was in hand. "I'll call Angela."

"I'm sure your partner doesn't want to be woken at two in the morning," Nate said.

Renko waved it off tipsy texting.

"As much as I'd love dinner and a show," Callen said standing. "I kind of want to see what my present is," he said looking Nell over.

She smiled slyly at him, and said nothing which only made Callen wonder what was under that dress of hers.


	26. Chapter 26

Callen's leg was jumping, he was riding shot gun while Nell was driving his Mercedes. He trusted her, honest he did, but she always hit the break a little hard at the stops. Kensi's Ipod was on full blast in the back and the music was filling up the vehicle and when one particular country song started it started an impromptu sing-a-long in the back seat where the drunken Kensi, Deeks and Nate were sitting.

"_Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots, and ruined your black tie affair," _Deeks had taken to singing it first, his voice going lower than usual.

Kensi joined in with her partner as the song continued. _"The last one to know, the last one to show, I was the last one you thought you'd see there." _

Kensi, who was sitting in the middle, nudged Nate prompting him to join in. _"And I saw the surprise, and the fear in his eyes, when I took his glass of champagne." _

It was Nell, completely sober Nell who joined in next. _"I toasted you, said, "Honey we may be through, but you'll never hear me complain!" _

And Callen thought _'the hell with it_' and joined in with the chorus_. "'Cause I got friends in low places, where the whiskey drowns, and the beer chases my blues away." _

The five of them sang along obnoxiously inside of the Mercedes till the song had finished and they were outside of Nate's apartment building.

"You good to get up there?" Nell asked looking around the seat to where Nate was sitting.

"I'm fine," he insisted. "Have a good night, guys!"

There was a chime of 'good night, Nate!' as the tall man got out of the vehicle, saggared slightly before righting himself and shutting the door, he gave a wave and walked to the outer stairs.

::

"An-gee-la," Renko said happily pulling his partner into a hug on Sam's front lawn.

She pulled away. "You're tanked," she said.

"Please, this isn't even that bad, An-gee-la," he smiled at her.

Angela sighed in annoyance before she fixed a glare on him "You owe me," she said sternly and he nodded with a grin still plastered on his face as he swayed drunkenly. She grabbed his arm to steady him, she gave a wave to Sam and started leading Renko back to her car. "Oh, and if you puke in my Lexus... I will murder you and no one will ever find your body."

::

Deeks and Kensi stumbled together into Deeks's place, they'd been dropped off together with a wink from Nell and impatience from Callen. Kensi worried that Callen might suspect something between her and Deeks. "No way," Deeks had assured. "He's just wanting to get home so he can get Nell naked," Deeks laughed as he tugged on the zipper on Kensi's dress. "Kind of like what I want to do to you."

::

Nell was getting nervous about the entire idea now that they were back at his house... their house. It was still so strange that her lease ended in another day, she already had handed back her key, she was officially living with Callen. He hadn't touched her in the car, not even when they'd dropped everyone off. Hadn't held her hand. Now out of the car walking to the house he didn't even look at her. Maybe she had read this all wrong. Maybe she'd let him drink too much. Maybe this was a really bad idea.

He had already given her a key to the high grade lock and she pulled it out of her bag and turned her back to him to open the lock, biting down on her lip. This was suppose to be easy! It wasn't like they didn't have a sex life, they had one, a damn good one. She looked at him over her shoulder, but his eyes weren't on her. She bit her lip again and opened the door.

The entrance way was filled with boxes, despite the darkness within the house, she knew they were meticulously marked so everything inside was known. She moved in careful to avoid the dark outlines of the piled boxes. She could feel Callen's presence behind her, heard the door shut and the lock slide into place. Biting hard on her lip she wished she'd decided on something different for his birthday, something _better_.

"Nell," his voice sent a shiver down her spine, or maybe it was that he was standing so close that his breath caressed her ear, close enough to touch, but he didn't, and she steeled herself not to lean back into him.

"G," she whispered back in response.

He was careful not to touch her, his fingertips pinching the fabric of the cardigan on and he pulled it off her body. She heard the studded embellishments hit against the hardwood floors and it caused a hitch in her breath. She looked over her shoulder, but could hardly see him in the darkness.

"What did you get me?" he asked, his voice quite, his tone low.

"You didn't touch me in the car," she blurted and immediately wanted to hit her head off a wall.

"We wouldn't have gotten out of the car if I had," Callen replied his voice low, and he spoke in a tone that had once been a mystery, but now she recognized the arousal in every syllable.

A smile fitted her face. She reached out and turned on the hall light as she started walking backwards. "Follow me," she said quietly lost in his eyes, the power he had over her was incredibly terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. She stepped backwards, her heels clicking against the floor as his body came toward her, _prowling_, that was the word that came to Nell's mind, it was like she was being stalked, hunted- a dangerous game, but knowing she was safe with him.

She went into the room and turned on the light, the bed sitting predominately in the centre. Her hand out to him and he took it, allowing her to play her game- why not, if everyone wins? She pulled on his arm and their bodies met for a second, a playful look upon her face as she turned him and gave him a push. She knew that if he hadn't been playing along he wouldn't have sat down on the bed, but she figured force wasn't really needed. Desire was already there and thickening the air in the room.

The dress she wore had a low scoop at the back collar, she'd picked out the dress over a year ago for very reason she could do it up, and unzip it on her own. It served his purpose as she reached back and grabbed the zipper pulling it down _slowly_, her hazel eyes never leaving his blue ones.

She pulled off the shoulders of the dress and then just let it fall. His eyes flashed cobalt blue, dangerous and heated as his eyes flickered over her body, his hands clenched in the sheets. There wasn't a smile on his face, but there was one on hers and she knew he was too far gone for playful at the moment.

"This," she said taking a step toward him, out of the pool of her dress on the floor and did a slow turn for the full effect. "This is La Perla," she said with a smile and a tilt of her head.

His hands came over the fabric of the corset, his eyes never leaving hers. He licked his lips and she knew they were in for one hell of a night.

::

Deeks awoke with the first hangover in years, he groaned, his arm over Kensi's athletic body. "Fuck," he groaned in her ear.

"Morning to you too," Kensi muttered.

"Shh," Deeks protested.

"You hungover?" Kensi asked wiggling in his grasp and turning around. She wasn't use to sleeping in a bed with anyone, even with secretly seeing Deeks for a few weeks, they didn't make a habit of sleeping in the same bed- it happened, sure, but not often enough for her to be use to waking up being spooned.

"Yeah," he whispered sitting up slowly only to walk across the room completely naked and shutting the blinds blocking out the California sun and plunging his bedroom into nearly complete darkness.

The warm skin of Kensi's hand met his abdomen stopping him from getting into bed, she stood, the entire length of her body rubbing against him. "Pancakes?" She didn't have to see him to know he was smiling, especially when his hands went to her hips and pulled her closer.

"Sounds delicious," she didn't think he was talking about pancakes when his lips came down on her collarbone, she let out a sigh and pulled him close.

::

Nate was less than pleased when he awoke. Having a hangover says 'last night was awesome, now you must suffer' he supposed the hangover was natures way to keep people from being too awesome for too long. Hangovers were the reason he usually only drank one or two beers, he preferred to wake with a clear head... at least he wasn't still drunk.

_Breakfast, shower, work_. He blinked in his bedroom trying to plan his day._ Breakfast, shower... more sleep_. He debated getting out of bed for a second. _Breakfast, more sleep? _

"Fuck it," he muttered pulling a pillow over his head and decided on just more sleep.

::

Sam drank coffee on the back deck so he wouldn't have to look at the streamers still hanging from the ceiling. The backyard had faired much better, everyone put their empties in the box, and most of the dishes had been cleaned up the night before.

"Morning," Michelle came out and shut the screen door behind her.

"Morning," Sam replied when she sat down on his lap despite the many other chairs and snuggled up to him. "Guess I've got some cleaning to do, huh?"

"Yeah," Michelle said. "But it was worth it."

Sam recalled the undiluted joy on Callen's face the night before. His friend, his brother deserved to be happy. "Yeah, it was worth it."

::

"Uh," Renko groaned waking up and realized he was on the couch in the office, a blanket thrown over him. "What the fuck?"

"Good morning, Sunshine," Angela said with sickening sarcasm. Renko rubbed his eyes and looked over at her, she was sitting in a chair across from him, her hair up in a bun as always, grey shirt- long sleeves, jeans- black, boots- brown, just like always. She stared at him with a set expression of stone.

"Whtimesit?" he grumbled.

Angela's eyes flicked to the corner of the laptop she had sitting on the stool in front of her. "Nearly eleven."

"Why... why did you take me to the office."

"I had work that needed to be done," Angela responded as if it was the most logical thing in the world. "Figured since I was up at two in the morning I might as well come in."

"Why," Renko groaned pulling the blanket up over his head.

"Oh, you're awake, Boss!" Kimi said perkily as she skipped in. "Wanna donut?"

Renko pulled down the blanket just a bit to peek out. "Dunkins?"

"Any other kind?" Kimi asked with a raise of an eyebrow.

He smiled at her. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Not lately," Kimi responded kissing his cheek. "Oh, we got a case by the way, Faraday's in the office, and Cooper's on his way in."

Renko let out a string of curses and Angela smiled, just a little at her hungover partner's misfortune.

::

_La Perla_. Two little words that were surely going to be not only ingrained to memory but sure to instantly arouse him. "Nell?" he whispered, she had her leg hooked around one of his, her arm thrown over his chest.

"G?"

"Good morning."

She smiled but kept her eyes closed. "A little birdy told me it doesn't qualify as a 'good' morning until there has been morning sex."

"Technically speaking..." Callen said with a smile. "Last night, was early morning." He looked over at the clock. "It's nearly two in the afternoon."

She opened her eyes at that and stared at the clock. "Huh." She rested her head against his chest. "I can't believe we ran out of condoms." She frowned. "I didn't think of condoms when I was writing up the master list."

"List?"

"Of birthday supplies. I should have thought with the La Perla, condoms. I didn't." She smiled at him. "I won't make that mistake again."

He smiled. "Any chance of getting you back in it?"

"Of course," she said sitting up on her knees. "It's the gift that keeps on giving."

::

**Thanks for reading!**

**(Renko's team is from my series of Renko stories :D )**


	27. Chapter 27

The weekend went by far to quickly, Nell had eighteen different red paint chips trying to decide on which one to use for their bedroom. Nell would be set on one, Callen would agree, and then she would look at the other paint chips and then bit her lips and say something along the lines of 'but with all the sun in the room, it might be too light,' alternatively, she didn't want the room to seem to dark. Callen thought red was red, but he didn't say this because Nell was a woman which meant he would just agree with whatever red she chose.

"Morning, G," Sam greeted.

"Go-" he cut himself off. "Morning, Sam."

"Oh hell, you started off with saying good."

Callen smirked jut a bit. "Want to know what I got for my birthday," Callen teased despite having no intention of telling Sam what went on in his bedroom.

"La-la-la-la-la," Deeks came in with his hands over his ears. "No, nope, not now, not ever."

Kensi laughed and shook her head. "I'm a woman, I'll have details by lunch time, but if you told me, it'd be real weird."

Callen froze a second, and Eric whistled. "Wait," Callen said as they all started moving. "Nell doesn't actually..." he looked over at Kensi who just kept on smiling. "Women don't really talk about that?" Callen looked to Deeks but the other man shrugged. "Right?" Callen looked to Sam, who smiled.

"I'm married. I don't want to know what Mitch and Lea talk about. I really, really don't."

"Well... surely they don't... talk about... that..." Callen said walking into OPS.

"About time boys," Hetty said before looking to Eric and motioning him to begin briefing.

::

Kensi waved at Deeks in the parking lot, he'd driven himself since Kensi told him she was going to take his advice and see if Sierra wanted to join her for an after work drink. She missed the old friendship, but had thrown herself head first into work, and after work she'd go out with the guys, or go for a run, or watch reality television because... well she was afraid.

Sierra was an agent who made all those warnings, all those fears truth. Special Agent Sierra Sicotti was the warning to other female agents, that all the training and all the mental preparation in the world can't save you every time. Agents play this game, sometimes they win, sometimes they lost, but every time they bet it all. Kensi knew what had happened to her friend; raped, tortured, left for dead in the same room where she'd watched a man line a gun up to her partner's head and pull the trigger. Sierra wouldn't give the man what he wanted to know, she wouldn't betray the rest of her team, she wouldn't betray her agency, she wouldn't betray her country. Her partner had to die for it, and forever she would have to live with the guilt.

Kensi wondered, given the situation, if it were her hung up by her wrists, if it were Deeks kneeling on the floor with a gun to the blond mop of hair on his head... would she be able to keep her mouth shut? Would she betray her team? Her agency? Her country? Would she betray it all for her partner? Her friend? Her lover? Her Deeks? She swallowed hard and closed her eyes taking a second to pray that she never had to make such a decision.

She let out a sigh and pushed open the door to the garage and was met with a bombarding of garage scents, gasoline, grease and oil, there was the sound of power tools, chatter, and metal tools hitting the ground. Off setting was the music. Ludwig Van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Kensi wouldn't even recognize it if it weren't for a case which required her to be quizzed by Hetty on classical music. The garage was filled with rock or metal when Sierra wasn't in, but the guys in the garage either were fearful of the former special agent, or they knew what happened, and like everyone else, like Kensi herself, walked on eggshells around her.

Kensi remembered the old days when she seen Sierra's legs sticking out from under a mangled truck. Sierra had been an agent, but she'd always loved to tinker with the cars. Kensi would come after work to find Sierra under a car or truck tinkering away and Kensi would just grab her leg and pull her out. Kensi wasn't sure that was the method she should take anymore...

Instead she opted for tapping the board Sierra was laying on with her foot. Hands clasped the bumper and Sierra slid out on the wheels of the board. "Yeah?"

"You, me, cosmos," Kensi said.

Sierra stared at her stone faced for a second before a flicker of nostalgia went across the former agents face. "Our old haunt?" Sierra asked sitting up, resting her arms across her knees.

Kensi smiled. "Yeah, our old haunt."

Sierra looked at her oil stained shirt than at the clock. "I'm on the clock for another half hour, I'll need another hour after that to get cleaned up... two hours, meet you there."

Kensi nodded. "See you there."

::

"Which one?" Nell asked holding up the two paint chips while Callen smiled out of view in the doorway watching Nell sit in front of her computer Skyping with her sister Chloe.

"For what room? And why didn't you tell me you were moving?" Chloe answered.

"Bedroom," Nell said. "And I was going to, it's just with work and the packing and the planning of G's surprise birthday party I didn't get around to it."

"Hmm," Chloe replied. "Still deciding, hold them still." Callen watched Nell raise her hands a bit, still holding the two paint chips she was torn between and hold them steady for the webcam. "And what did you get that delicious boyfriend of yours?"

"Chloe!" Nell nearly squealed and dropped the paint chip from her left hand, having to bend to pick it up. "You're married, you can't call men delicious anymore. Especially not mine."

"Possessive, I thought we were taught to share," Chloe's voice was teasing.

Callen pressed his lips together so he wouldn't laugh, especially at the glowering Nell was currently doing.

"Come on, big sis, you're suppose to gossip with me!" Nell muttered something. "What was that?"

"La Perla," Nell muttered clearer this time.

"Oh. My. God." Was Chloe's shocked surprised. "You whipped out the La Perla? This is serious. You're seriously, for serious."

Nell's eyebrows pinched in concentration. "You need to work on your English."

Chloe scoffed. "La fricken Perla!" Chloe replied. "I didn't whip that out till my wedding night."

Nell shook her head and froze catching Callen standing in the doorway. "How long have you been there?"

Callen walked over and handed her, her tea while sipping on his own. "Long enough to know Chloe hasn't picked a paint colour." He looked to the webcam and waved for her benefit. "How's it going?" He asked sitting down on the love seat beside Nell.

"I was going to say excellent, but I'll go down to a good since you two are obviously still on a La Perla high," Chloe was beaming, obviously enjoying the chance to rib her big sister. Nell was blushing profusely at this point. "Hey, would you look at that," Chloe said. "Your face is the perfect paint colour."

Nell glared at the camera while Chloe laughed. "Check this," Chloe said standing and turning to her side, since they'd been gone her belly had grown. "She's getting big."

"He!" was called out in the background.

"Chris?" Chloe sat down at the computer. "I wonder if he was listening too?" She shot at a look to Callen's side of the screen where he just took a sip of tea.

::

Sierra didn't look uncomfortable when she walked in, Kensi noted. The other woman didn't seem so much like the ghost she'd been right after it had happened. She spotted Kensi, but didn't immediately walk straight for it, she looked around the place first, just as Kensi had done when she'd come in, entrances and exits, approximate number of patrons, anyone who looks suspicious or armed, number of tables, which exit you'll use in a hurry. You can quit working as an agent but you can't stop _being_ the agent.

She finally sat down at the table Kensi had acquired, a booth which they both took the outer seat on either side. "How's it going?" Kensi asked waving the waitress over.

"It's going," Sierra replied as she fidgeted with a napkin, ripping it into small pieces, something Kensi had never seen her do. "And you?"

How was Kensi to respond? Say everything was real good in her life now... because that felt a lot like rubbing salt into the other woman's wounds. Kensi remembered the last night they had gone out together. "Sometimes it's going good, and the rest of the time I'm just waiting for it to get better."

Sierra smiled, just a little obviously remembering the night too. The waitress came over. "Two cosmos," Sierra ordered and paid. "You got the Mojitos right?"

Kensi laughed, and found it remarkable how after the years they'd fallen right back into line. "Don't I always?"

::

"Monty, Daddy's home," Deeks said coming into his half of the duplex he was renting. Spacious and close to the ocean, what more could a man want? Monty's nails clicked along the hardwood floor and Deeks bent down to greet his canine companion. "Got to go out? Come on, back door," Deeks snapped his fingers and pointed and the dog took off again.

Deeks waited by the back door while Monty did his business in the tiny lot of grass and came back in. "Dinner?" Deeks muttered to himself putting on the radio in the kitchen, it was the weather report, sunny skies. "In California? No way," Deeks muttered sarcastically. Even alone he was a talker. He looked down at Monty. "I don't want to cook, how about we go take a jog, pick up subs on the way back?"

The dog looked impartial to the idea until Deeks picked up Monty's leash and then the dog ran around Deeks excitedly. "Sit!" The dog sat but squirmed a bit while Deeks put on the leash. "Come on!"

::

Life has a strange way of moving.

Time has a funny way of ticking.

Minutes on a stake out can seem like hours.

Hours in bed can seem like minutes.

A night of sleep can feel like seconds.

A day at work can feel like a year.

A month had passed since Callen's birthday, various undercover operations had been completed, the day had been saved, but the day always got into peril once more.

Nell and Callen's bedroom was Candy Apple Red, and Callen was simply thankful that Nell didn't decide she really wanted the Very Cherry Red after all. "I was thinking yellow for the bathroom," Nell said as they walked into the office together after having picked up the team's dinner since it was obvious they'd all be working late.

"How yellow?" Callen asked.

"Like... bright primary yellow, it's warm, it's sunny. All white for the tub and sink... are you listening?"

"Yellow," Callen replied.

Nell sighed. "You weren't listening, were you?"

"A house is a house, a bathroom... is a bathroom, Nell," Callen replied. He simply didn't get the entire decorating and renovating of a house.

"It's not just a house, G," Nell said grabbing his arm with her free hand. "It's our home." He still stared at her blankly and she knew he still didn't get that 'home' concept.

"I have two dead FBI agents, a dirty marine who's selling our military weapons to a bunch of white supremacists, if you want the bathroom painted yellow, we'll paint it yellow," Callen said as he walked into the bull pen handing out the orders and Nell handed out the drinks quietly.

::

"Well... if we can't stop it from the outside..." Callen said leaning back against the table in the ops centre. "We'll just have to destroy it from the inside."

"It's a bunch of nut job white supremacists," Sam said. "They're so paranoid that they killed the marine who was supplying them."

"Which means they need a new supplier," Callen replied. "This presents us with a very small window, we have to take it."

"Just because the first thing you see is a very small window, Mr Callen," Hetty said coming into the room. "Doesn't mean you still shouldn't look for a door."

"How does she do that?" Eric whispered to Nell who shrugged.

"Hetty," Callen said. "These guys are murdering anyone trying to get over the boarder. Illegal or not, they don't deserve this. No one deserves this." Callen crossed his arms over his chest.

Hetty let out a sigh, because sometimes she felt as if Callen was going to take ten years off her life expectancy.

::

"Just you and me, Deeks," Callen said as they stood across from the bar they knew the men were recruiting from. "Names?"

"I'm David Smithson, you're Darrell Smithson, brothers. You know this isn't the first time I've done this. You're ten years older, worked at an oil refinery until you got laid off, you're still bitter that a bunch of immigrants still have a job while you don't. Seriously, stop worrying, I can see it, you have worry lines," Deeks pointed to his own forehead and wrinkled his brow a little to prove the point. "I also lost my job as a business man, I'm quieter about how pissed I am, but my wife- Elaine left me and took our child- a five years old girl, named Cynthia."

Callen gave Deeks a once over, the man was in a cheap ugly brown suit, (Callen had been unaware Hetty owned such a kind) Deeks's even longer than usual hair, and grown out beard helped make him look like he was having a rough time of it.

Callen knew looked down on his luck, ripped up black jeans with oil stains, blue shirt with matching oil stains, he left a few of the buttons undone, the scaring of stab wounds not yet forgotten, four of them under his collar bone and it spoke of a dangerous man, and time spent in prison- which thanks to Eric and Nell in backstopping, Darrell Smithson was just out on parole after assaulting an immigrant new to his apartment building.

He looked back over to Deeks, it was strange, not having his own partner, but considering they were trying to get in with white supremacists he couldn't have Sam by his side. Instead, he had the LAPD/ NCIS liaison. Callen figured it was best to go in as a joint team, not having Deeks thinking that he didn't trust the younger man. "Look Deeks," Callen said quietly. "I'm not asking because I think you don't know it, or because I don't trust you. Because I know you can pull off undercover work. I know you read up on our aliases and know them just as well as I do. And for the record, I am trusting you with my six when we go in there." Callen looked over to the bar and heard three horn honks, that was Kensi behind the wheel, everyone was in position.

"That's us," Deeks said.

"Deeks," Callen grabbed his arm. "I'm not Kensi. You're not Sam. We don't work with each other as partners." Callen knew he didn't have to get into more detail on that note, he seen the understanding in the detective's eyes. Partners knew their partners, the moves the other would make before they made them. "But we are a team... I have your back."

Deeks smiled. "I'm growing on you, aren't I, G?" Deeks grimaced, wondering if he'd get hit in the face for calling the senior agent by his first name, or letter... whatever. Callen just smirked and motioned for them to get moving.

::

**I couldn't help but put in a little case. It's to push a few different relationships/ friendships**

**Thank you for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

"They're coming in," Kensi said binoculars to her eyes as she watched her partner and Callen cross the street and enter the bar.

"_Got them,"_ was Renko's response, he was playing the bartender in their set up.

Kensi worried. Sitting in the car watching the street for any of the groups members, or for any suspicious activity. Groups like these were always paranoid, and she remembered the last time that Callen had wormed his way into a militia group... it had been a close call. Sam had gone in stalling for time when they seemed to be so paranoid they wanted to kill Callen. Kensi and Renko had watched from the trees. Hetty had been away, but she hadn't been happy they'd pulled that stunt. At the end of the day though, Callen had come home with a concussion, but other than that everyone came home okay.

At least this time he had back up, but it wasn't his partner, it was _hers_. While they might be a team, they weren't partners, and there was a reason you worked with a designated partner... because it worked. She wondered how they would work together, they would have to predict the moves of the other, only they didn't know each other well enough to do so. Kensi knew Callen pretty well, he having been her training agent at NCIS, but... she wondered if in a cover, would she know his moves? She might... but not as well as Sam. And less than her was Deeks's knowledge of the Senior Agent-In-Charge... and Callen wouldn't know Deeks's moves any better.

Kensi felt her throat tighten, her stomach twist and her heart clench. _Nerves,_ she told herself, _just nerves. _

::

Callen and Deeks took their seats, ordered their drinks in the small bar. They knew that the people at the square table over Callen's right shoulder were NCIS agents who were waiting for their cues, and chatted idly. Over the left of Deeks's was recruiters to the cause. Callen shut his eyes a second falling into his alias and slammed his fist down on the bar. "Jack," he ordered sharply.

Deeks hunched over in his ugly suit and muttered for a beer. He knew his character, he knew how to play it, and he knew that he was the trump card, because while they'll all be looking at Callen's character as being the dangerous one, the wild one, the aggressive one, they won't be looking at him at all, and that was valuable, it gave them an edge.

Renko put the beer down on a coaster and the shot down in front of Callen, the second it was on the bar, Callen had it in hand and tossed it back. "Again." Renko's worry only showed in his eyes and Callen glared at it. Renko poured the shot, Callen drank it and slammed the shot glass back down.

Deeks played with the glass, took a sip put it back, moved it around on the coaster, picked at the coaster. Quiet.

Another shot poured and this time he clinked it against Deeks's glass, he looked over at Callen and hoped that his alcohol tolerance was as high as the man had insisted it was. "To getting away from that slut of a wife of yers." Callen smiled.

Deeks fought the urge to shiver, it wasn't Callen's smile at all. Deeks had always heard Callen was the best, that he became his alias, that he fell right into it, and was the greatest of undercover's but every time Deeks seen Callen become someone else he felt a little bit of awe.

Callen took the shot, and proceeded to become even more obnoxious. "You do business, you work for your country on a military base!" Glass slammed down on the table and a motion for a refill. "And your job gets taken by some-"

Deeks had never heard Callen utter a racial slur, but it seemed his knowledge of them was vast the way he kept going. Deeks flicked his eyes to the coaster Renko had just set on the bar. 'They're interested,' was written, Deeks just looked back to Callen and Renko removed the coaster. A slur was uttered at the end and Deeks knew it was to begin the fight.

"Hey!" Sam stood from his seat and grabbed Callen by the shoulder pulled him right off his barstool. "That's enough filth from your mouth."

Deeks sat by watching the partners face to face. It was strange, Sam had always been the one Deeks had been more nervous around. Hello ex-navy SEAL! Muscles on muscles. But in that moment, with the two partners going toe to toe- even though it was all preplanned, Callen looked more dangerous, more vicious, and a hell of a lot more angry.

"Don't you fuckin' touch me," Callen wavered slightly in his footing, but his expression hadn't changed.

"Hey, take it outside!" Renko called from behind the bar.

Callen shoved Sam, and the big man went back a few steps. "People like you are the reason I've lost my job. Reason my brother lost his." Callen spat on the floor and looked at Sam with disgust. "What the hell has this country come to?"

Sam threw a punch but Callen dodged back and when he seen the opening, clocked Sam in the face.

"Hey!" Renko this time flipped the portion of the bar and stepped around. "Not in my bar. I said take it outside!"

Another slur rolled off of Callen's tongue and Deeks was starting to wonder if Sam was going to clock his partner real good when it was all said and done. Sam got in a punch, a hard one if the fact that Callen spat out blood was any indication. They got right into a fight and Renko had to push them apart. "Both of you get the hell out, I'm callin' LAPD!"

That made Callen freeze. "Fuckin' sympathiser," he sent a sneer at Renko, chugged down Deeks's beer and grabbed the man by the shoulder. "Come on, brother." He took the chance to flip Sam off one more time as they left.

They started walking down the street. "You good?" Deeks whispered.

"Peachy," Callen rubbed his jaw. "How many times do I have to tell him to pull his punches? I think I might have lost a tooth."

"You might want to buy him flowers when this is done, I don't think your bromance will hold up," Deeks said. "Sam looked pissed."

"He was suppose to look pissed, Deeks." Callen responded. "He's not offended, not really. He knows the difference between who I am and my aliases... he can separate them, even when sometimes I can't."

Deeks heard footsteps. "They took the bait."

"Game time," Callen said and started quietly cursing up a storm and spitting blood for show.

::

Renko got in the car with Kensi having handed the reigns back over to the owner, and the rest of the agents were disbursing from the bar. "What do we got?"

"Callen's spitting blood," Kensi said looking through the binoculars. "Does Sam ever pull his punches?"

"Only with you," Renko said. "He insists that he does, but even pulled he packs one hell of a punch. Oh!" Renko pulled out a little vial with a white bit in the bottom, he shook it. "Callen's, see Sam loves punching the G-man in the face."

Kensi shook her head. "You should have broken it up quicker."

"I did it right when I was suppose to," Renko argued. He leaned forward as if to give him a better view. "Can you make out what they're saying?"

"No," Kensi replied. "They have their backs to me, and Callen and Deeks are obscured by them."

Sam got in the back seat and Renko tossed back the vial. "Your partner is not going to be happy with you."

Sam gave the vial a shake before realising what it was. "Aw shit. Hetty's going to have my ass for this."

::

Eric, Nell and Nate all stood in the ops centre and had watched the bar scene go down from the various camera angles that were on display on the big screen. Eric got back to work and Nate motioned his head for Nell to follow. "I'll be right back," she informed Eric, she took one last look at the feeds and then followed Nate out of the office.

"You okay?" He asked."

"Did you ask me out of the ops centre _during_ an operation to ask me how I'm doing, Nate?" Nell crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him with a slight glare.

"It's okay to be angry, Nell."

"I'm not angry," Nell insisted and Nate arched an eyebrow. "I'm not, I'm perfectly fine! Why wouldn't I be? I'm safe as can be here."

"But others aren't," Nate said softly. "It's okay to be afraid for them."

"I'm not! They're perfectly capable agents," Nell put both her hands up and he stayed quiet. "I'm not scared that there is only two of them up against upwards of thirty paranoid murders, and I'm not scared that they are going in with out wires." Nell was on a roll, but the further she got the more Nate could hear the tremble in her voice. "It doesn't frighten me that they have no back up and they're going God knows where with God knows who." He noticed her hands, they were shaking, and then they balled into fists. "I'm not scared that he might not come back," her words were heated and underlying was the pain she'd hidden. "I'm not," it wasn't more than a whisper, because Nate had wrapped her up instinctively in his arms and held her close, her hands came around his back and held him there while she got herself together.

Everything she insisted she wasn't afraid of, she was, but she was strong, and she refused to sit back and bit her nails. She'd do her job, that's how she could help. But just for a moment, she let Nate hold her, tell her it would all be okay, and help put her back together again.

::

The week of undercover work had given Deeks a beard that he itched at. "I'm sick of this place," Deeks muttered sitting on the bottom bunk. Yeah. Bunkbeds, because when you think life can't get shittier, it does. Callen was leaning against an old dresser, looking out the window, in the same oil stained shirt and pants he'd come in. Callen was always loud, obnoxious, willing to start a fight with anyone who crossed him since they'd arrived. Deeks was the quiet observer, but in their bunks the opposite was true. "I want a shower," Deeks complained. Callen had picked out the lower bunk, tactically it was best, he also argued that since Deeks was taller he was already closer to the top bunk anyways. "I want a bed, a real bed that I don't hit my head off the ceiling every morning." Deeks sighed. _I want Kensi_. Of course, that one he kept to himself, but he looked at Callen and wondered if he was thinking the same about Nell. Deeks's stomach rumbled. "I want a steak... with potatoes and-"

"So help me God," Callen growled. Deeks was shocked at the sudden response, he'd figured Callen hadn't been listening. "You finish that sentence, I'll finish you."

"Got it," Deeks responded. He wondered about the aggression in Callen's voice, the tight anger in the older man's posture. It wasn't Callen. Deeks realized it for what it was. Limbo. Despite being on their own, and having checked the place for bugs, Callen wasn't letting go of his alias. Deeks wondered if this was what Callen had spoke of earlier in relation to Sam. _'He can separate them, even when sometimes I can't.'_

"Alright, here they come," Callen said, he looked over at Deeks. "You know what to do."

"I've got it," Deeks said pulling on his ugly suit jacket, he hoped Hetty would let him burn it when they were done.

::

"Anything?" Sam asked Eric.

"Nothing on anything," the blond man responded. "They've been completely silent for nine days now."

"They were suppose to check in two days ago," Nell's voice was tight with anger.

"But it was well known that they might not be able to," Eric said trying to soothe his partner who'd been hell to work with over the past two days.

"And what if they need us?" Nell asked. "What if they haven't contacted because they can't? Because they're been burned?" Nell could go on, Eric knew this, because she'd let him have the full force of her angers, her fears the second they'd gone past check in time. He'd taken it for a few minutes before launching his own at her. She'd been shocked, stared at him for a minute and then burst into tears and hugged him.

"They haven't been burned," Sam insisted.

"How can you be sure?" Nell asked.

"I just know," Sam responded. He didn't want to tell her that if that were the case, both men would likely have been found dead in a ditch by now. The mental image made him queasy. "Any chance we can get a satellite image. Heat signatures."

"Legally or illegally?" Eric asked.

Sam looked around for Hetty. "Does it matter?"

Eric smiled and it fell when the doors automatically opened and Hetty walked in. "It most certainly does, Mr Hanna." Sam shut his eyes and wondered how the hell she did that.

::

Day fifteen Eric jumped out of his seat. "They've made contact!" Nell smiled widely looking at the screen, it wasn't a personal message, it was a message to a pre-setup address for 'David's friend and military contact.'

"They want the Shiva Missile," Nell whispered.

"Shiva, the third member of the Trimurti... the Destroyer," Nate said.

"This is bad," Eric said.

"Really bad," Nell agreed.

"I'll tell Hetty," Nate said.

::

"I can't stand my own stink," Deeks said. He'd burnt the suit jacket when some pine sap had gotten on it. He'd taken great joy of throwing it into the flames. After sixteen days in the woods, he really wasn't too afraid of Hetty. He was more afraid of mosquitos. He itched his arms, the multitude of bites.

"I can't stand it either," Callen remarked dryly, as if said more out of habit than the need to needle the detective.

"This should be coming to a close soon," Deeks said. He was pretty excited about the entire concept of hot shower, a shave, a proper bed and some take-out since he knew he wouldn't have the energy to cook.

"I fuckin' hope so," there was agitation, a lack of proper pronunciation that Callen had picked up from the start. He spend a lot of time sitting by the window, staring out, watching. A crowd had gathered, the two leaders were talking. "Somethin's goin' on," Callen said quietly and Deeks joined him at the window.

"Maybe they switched their target for this weekend's events," Deeks said.

"The day after we send out a message?" Callen said and shook his head. The group as a whole looked over to their little hut. "We've been made."

"What are we going to do about it?" Deeks asked. Run like Hell seemed like a really good idea.

"Nothing," Callen said continuing to lean against the table.

"Excuse me?"

"NCIS is hitting this place today," Callen said.

"Instead of the delivery of the Shiva, it's a truck full of Feds. I know the plan," Deeks said worriedly. But they're going to _know_."

"They're goin' to want to pack up, to run. We can't let them do that, Marty." Deeks was surprised by the use of his real name, and it was obvious that Callen was trying to get through to him. "We have to do this... they're comin'. Follow my lead," Callen said quickly.

The men barged through the door, guns pointed at Callen and Deeks. "You two cops?"

"Feds," Callen said raising his hands. "And your surrounded." He sure hoped this bullshit would work a second time.

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

Callen and Deeks had been restrained. They had gone from being federal agents to_ leverage. _Both men were in the hut they'd been living in, both hands cuffed to either side of the bunk bed posts. The men were outside forming a strategy. "How'd this play out the first time?" Deeks wanted to know. Callen didn't respond. "Hey," Deeks kicked him and Callen glared over. "How did this play out?"

"Don't remember much," Callen growled. "I ended up with a concussion."

"Great," Deeks muttered. "What do we do now?"

"We wait, and we improvise, we stall for as long as we can."

The door bust back open and a man sat down in a chair in front of them. "We're searching the parameter."

Callen smiled at this and then appeared to be trying to hide such a reaction. "What you grinning about?"

"Nothin'," Callen responded quickly.

The man held the gun to Callen's temple. "I said, what are you smiling about?"

"Nothin', man."

The man then pointed the gun at Deeks. "I said-"

"Okay," Callen interrupted. "Okay, the agency we work for, everyone is highly proficient in hand to hand combat. Your men go out there, they aren't coming back and you won't even have their shots for warning."

"Maybe I don't believe you."

"That works better for me," Callen responded. "All your men dead in the trees, and you'll be alone when the full force of the agency comes down on you."

The man was quiet for a moment, considering and he got out his walkie. "Recall, everyone back to base. Now."

::

Nell was nervous as she watched from the upper floor as the agents got into their tactical gear, a small army, multiple teams. Sam and Kensi were taking lead, Renko and his team were there, along with two other teams. Fourteen against thirty. Sixteen if they could meet up with Callen and Deeks on the road- where they should be.

"How are you doing?" Nate asked coming to stand beside her.

"They're coming home today."

Nate nodded, there was no reason to point out the dangers, she knew them, she was aware and trying to stay positive. "It's a long time for them to be away. Sixteen days as someone else feels like a lifetime," Nate said putting a hand on her shoulder. "Remember that when they return, it takes a while for them to decompress."

Nell nodded, she'd been with Callen through plenty of missions, but this was the first long term one. A week had been the most before this, and she knew it was likely he'd get send on many more long term missions.

She just wanted him home.

::

"Any snipers in the group?" Sam asked looking around at the other agents as they rendezvoused for the final meeting and Eric sent them last minute schematics of satellite imagery.

One from each of the two volunteer teams, and Faraday from Renko's team. "I can if you need one more," Angela offered.

"You don't want to give her up to the sniper unit, Sam," Renko said looking rather proudly at his partner. "She's a tactical bad-ass with a handgun, we'll need her."

Sam assessed and looked to Kensi. "Four should be enough," Kensi said. "Besides, there are only four points where we can take the shots from," she said pointing to positions on the map. "Everyone radio in when in positions." The snipers took off with their guns into the woods.

"They've been made," Renko said at the fact that the two men had not been at the rendezvous point.

"That or they can't get away," Sam challenged wanting to stay positive that his partner and their liaison had not been made, but he was prepared for either scenario.

"Looks an awful lot like they got made," Angela said looking at the satellite images. She pointed. "Two people, third as guard inside, two outside the door." Sam frowned as he looked at the image. She could be right, and if that was the case, Deeks and Callen were going to need them. The sooner, the better.

"Eric," Sam said.

"_I hear you loud and clear, Sam." _

"Have medical on standby."

"_You got it." _

::

"Does your agency have names?"

Callen was getting a queasy feeling looking at the knife. He'd been stabbed a few times in recent memory and he wasn't to thrilled at the prospect of repeating it. "All kinds of names," Callen said. "I have all kinds of names too. Darrell for instance."

"You son of a bitch," the man looked about ready to make a move when the first gunshot rang out.

Callen smiled. "Oh, you're in trouble now."

::

Kensi had packed up her sniper rifle after the first shot, another two agents would stay in their positions while Kensi and Faraday both came back into the action.

She wanted to see Deeks. She wanted her partner back. She hated when he went away for LAPD assignments, she couldn't have his back then. Callen had his back, and it was as reassuring as it could get without her being there. She had to trust the fact that they could work together, that they could hold on until rescue.

She met up with Faraday on the run down, he made a few tactical hand motions and she gave a sharp nod heading more to the right while he went to the left.

There was more gunfire, shouting became more clear and she came through the tree line and into the war zone.

::

Sam disliked the concept of two other agents being made. He liked it less that it was two teammates, one of which, his partner.

He spotted movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly turned raising his gun already knowing it would be too late, but a shot went off beside him and the man dropped. He looked over to see Renko's partner Angela's gun smoking, clip fell to the ground and she shoved in a second.

"Move it," she barked.

"See what I mean," Renko said passing him. "She's a pain in the ass, but at least she watches my ass."

"I heard that," Angela called back.

Renko shook his head and continued scanning the area after his partner.

Sam spotted the hut that seemed to be the place from the satellite images, he met up with Kensi and the two of them worked together, scanning the area as they made their way over.

::

Callen couldn't get out of the hand cuffs. He knew the bobby pin was on his pants, but he couldn't get his hands to them, he couldn't stand to get it, both he and Deeks were being watched. He'd tried dislocating his thumb, but not to hard since the man was keeping a keen eye on them.

The second leader entered. "There are so many of them," he said. "We need to get to the truck."

Both men looked to Callen and Deeks.

::

Sam went left, Kensi to the right and both stood with their backs flat against the wall. Sam put up three fingers and Kensi started the mental countdown, on one Sam kicked open the door and the two of them went in.

The two leaders had a human shield. Callen had a knife to his throat, Deeks a gun to his temple.

::

"You think they're okay?" Nell asked, the chatter had gone silent, and there were no camera feeds.

"Yeah," Eric said. "I'm sure their fine."

Nell hated this part of her job, where she could do no more, where everything was resting on the agents, where she had to sit on her hands and wait. The entire team was out in a war zone. A dozen more agents in the crossfire.

"_Lets talk this out," _Sam's voice over the come had some static, but the technical operator and intelligence analyst could hear just fine.

"What are they talking out?" Nell's voice took on an edge of panic.

::

_Deeks has a gun to his head_. Kensi swallowed hard and adjusted her grip on her gun. _Deeks has a gun to his head! _The inner panic didn't show on her face, she kept every one of her walls in place, her face devoid of emotion. "Drop your weapons!"

"You have no where to go," Sam said. "You're completely surrounded."

"Take the damn shot!" Callen shouted which caused the man behind him to tighten his grip, the blade of the knife slicing through the first layer of skin and Callen hissed out a breath.

"No shot," Sam whispered.

"None," Kensi agreed, she couldn't risk shooting the man holding Deeks, not without the risk his gun could go off. Kensi wouldn't risk her partner's life. "There is only one way out of this," Kensi raised her voice. "Let them go, you go to prison and that's a good deal considering the alternative is the morgue."

"Which is where all of your colleagues are going," Sam said.

"_Thirteen confirmed dead,"_ Renko's voice came over the earwig. _"Fourteen cuffed." _

"_Two in the room with Sam and Kensi,"_ Eric said_. "Along with Callen and Deeks that's thirty one heat signatures." _

"_We had thirty two on the scan,"_ Nell said. "_We have one unaccounted for!" _

::

For Deeks, everything about this mission sucked.

Itcy mosquito bites-sucked.

Sleeping on the top bunk- sucked.

Having no super hot partner- sucked

Ugly brown suit- sucked.

Needing a shower and a shave- sucked.

Callen being used as a human shield and having a knife to his throat- sucked

Having a gun pressed to his temple- really, really sucked.

Highlight? Return of his super hot partner with back up!

He looked over her for injuries, but she looked fine, no dents in her NCIS vest, no emotions on her face, she'd shut it all down. She was worried, she was angry and he knew it, he also knew that those emotions were no good in a situation like this. Her brown eyes met his blue ones and he gave a tiny nod.

He trusted her with his life

::

Callen just wished Sam would take the shot. The knife was digging into his skin and having a slit jugular wasn't the way he wanted to go. In fact, he didn't want to go out at all. He was a man who risked his life on a day to day basis, accepted the risk that he might not come home, and for the most part was okay with that. His life for the life of others was an acceptable risk.

Now, he just kept thinking of Nell. The fact that she'd invited him to meet her parents. The times they'd cooked dinner together, and nights spent watching movies curled up on the couch. The first time they kissed, and the last time they touched.

He found dying here unacceptable. He wasn't ready. He didn't want to go out yet. Not here. Not like this. Not when he finally, _finally_ found something worth living for.

::

"Hey, G," Sam said slowly. "You remember that mission in Chad?" he put up three fingers.

Two seconds, Callen put his hands up grabbing the knife and pushing. The third second there was a gunshot, the window behind them breaking, the man fell dead and Callen got off with a sliced palm. He moved quickly grabbing the gun and pushing up as the second shot went through the man's neck and grazed both Callen and Deek's arms. Deeks made a pained sound and Callen cursed.

Callen glared at his partner. "You do remember that in Chad that plan _didn't_ work!"

"Didn't have a lot of options, G."

"Last guy in Deeks's position ended up dead," Callen growled back kicking the man's weapon. "You should have found another option!"

Deeks poked at the bullet graze. "I'm fine."

Callen looked to his arm, the graze was hardly there and had already stopped bleeding. "Yeah, but you might not have been." He stormed out between Kensi and Sam, taking the lead as they all started walking back to the centre where everyone was detained. Kensi and Sam were walking behind Callen, Kensi's voice low but she was obviously angry with Sam- likely due to Callen's words. Deeks was trailing behind thinking about a steak, mashed potatoes, and a cold beer.

"Kensi!" Deeks shouted right before she took one to the chest. "Kensi!" He watched her fall to the ground. "Window on your three Sam!"

A shot and the missing man fell.

"Kensi?" He knelt down next to her. "Kens? You okay?"

She grabbed the side straps of her vest and Deeks gave her a hand. "Yeah. I'm okay Ma-Deeks. I'm okay." She smiled up at him despite the pain in her chest, she knew from experience that a vest didn't prevent bruising, and she could feel it already forming. "You stink," she commented and he laughed for the first time in sixteen days.

::

"_We got them," _Sam's voice came through the speakers. _"Everyone's okay. We're headed back." _

There was a moment of jubilation in the ops centre. Eric and Nell hugged. Kimi high-fived Nate. Hetty let a peace wash over her that came with knowing her agents were coming home.

::

Someone in the office started to clap, and it became infectious. Eric whistled from the second floor and Nell dashed down the stairs only to be held at arms length by Callen. "I haven't showered in two weeks," he said to her surprised face. She scoffed pushed his hands aside and wrapped her arms around his waist holding him tight.

It didn't matter that he was coming back in the clothing he'd left in, or that he stunk, she paid no mind to the oil stains, rips, tears or blood stains. He was _home_, he was _alive_, and that was all that mattered.

::

**This story has now surpassed the word count on Blood and Bone, and is the longest story I have ever written. I think that's pretty cool. Just saying. **

**Thanks for reading :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, I appreciate each and every one of them! **

::

Callen nearly went into a homicidal rage when the water ran cold. Hetty had the gym showers on five minute timers. Five minutes up, icy cold water down your back. If the cursing Deeks was doing was any indication, he didn't think it was funny either. As if their day hadn't been bad enough! Five minutes wasn't near enough time to wash off the stink and dirt of sixteen days in the wilderness. The water temperature sent a shiver down his spine but he kept lathering on the soap trying to get clean.

The bullet wound started bleeding again and he flinched when he got soap in the open wound. It wasn't that bad, but since it went through the militia leader and Deeks's arm before his he figured it was pretty unsanitary and knew Hetty would be sending them both in for blood work in the morning.

_He hated needles_.

::

"Think this is a good look?" He asked Kensi when she came into the mens change room after Callen had left. Deeks was in a pair of comfortable, worn out blue jeans and one of his checkered shirts he knew she wasn't too fond of. That and he'd yet to shave the blonde beard he'd grown out in sixteen days.

Her brain thought of a dozen different witty remarks, but she just closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around him. "You're alive, and that's the best look..." she nuzzled in, his body still chilled from the shower, but smelling fresh again. "But shave, please," she felt the rumble in his chest as he laughed. "Lumberjack is not your look, Marty."

"Alright, alright, I'll shave," Deeks said rubbing the blond beard, he had been going to shave it anyways, it was driving him nuts.

"I missed you," she admitted quietly still holding him close, her ear pressed against his chest listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"I missed you too, Fern."

::

Sam found Callen rifling through wardrobe, Sam knew the distressed blue jeans and the plain grey shirt were from Callen's go bag and Sam waited to see what it was that his partner was searching for.

Callen closed the drawer he'd been looking through and turned to flip through a rack of clothing. "What?" Callen growled realizing his partner was there.

"You're still pissed with me," Sam commented crossing his arms over his chest.

"Damn right I am," Callen responded heatedly. "Last time we tried that stunt, Bentley ended up with a bullet in his head." He could remember it all so vividly, he'd been too slow, by the time the sniper took the shot, Bentley was already dead and falling to the ground. The agent had been CIA, just a kid, smart, a dark sense of humour but a good agent to have your back... and he'd ended up with a bullet to the brain.

"We didn't have any other option, G," Sam insisted. Callen's jaw tightened and he ripped a hoodie off of the rack pulling it on and zipping it up for warmth. "Shower timer?"

"Don't try and change the subject, Sam!" Callen wasn't even sure if the anger he held was his or Darrell's. He was angry, as Callen, right? Sam had made a less than stellar call, but Callen wasn't dissecting the moves, the calls, the decisions the way he usually would, he just let go of the leash on his anger and dug in.

"What would you have done differently?" Sam demanded and waited, Callen's face was stony, but his eyes had a fire behind them. "Nothing! Because if I had taken the shot, the momentum would have had that knife at your throat cutting right through, and you'd be dead." Sam sighed and Callen ran his hands over his face. "I get that you're angry, but don't be a dick, Callen." Callen glared at him. "Seriously," Sam said. "Now go to your nice girl, she's been missing you something fierce." At this Callen's lip twitched and finally a little smile. "There you are," Sam said mostly to himself, now he could see Callen through the web of his alias, more than that, he knew that Nell would pull him back. "Now go see Nell, I'll find Kensi and Deeks and we'll all do dinner."

"You better be buying," Callen said as he passed with a little smile.

_Yeah,_ Sam thought, _he'll be alright_.

::

Callen grabbed Nell's hand and tugged her along, cutting her sentence off in the conversation she was having with Eric.

"G?" She struggled to keep up to his pace and after a few turns she knew exactly where he was going and she smiled as he stopped in front of the door, punched in his pass code and pulled her into the filing room.

He pulled her through the rows of boxes and into the blind spot before his lips found hers, they were demanding, notes of pent up need and desire. He was clean shaven for a change, and it felt strange as she touched his soft skin where a near permanent five o'clock shadow always was. His hands were skimming over her body. Hers were wrapped around him, holding him as close to her body as she could manage, after sixteen days apart she needed to know that he was solid, that he was real, he was there with her alive and well.

They broke for need of breath, and she looked up at him her eyes locking on to the cut on his throat which showed just how close death had come, a breath caught in her chest and she felt dizzy from it.

"Nell," he said, realizing the sudden change in breath and the way her eyes had glassed over. "You okay? Nell?"

She nodded and her hand very slowly ran up his body and stopped just short of the injury. "I never get use to seeing you injured."

"I'm okay," he said softly. He wanted to be able to banish the fears in her eyes, but they were directly related to him and danger, and that was the job. "I'm here..." he looked into her eyes before kissing her again, softer this time, gently holding her in his arms. "I'm home," he whispered to her causing a little smile to form upon her face.

::

Steak, potatoes, cold beer and good friends; Sam's treat. Nell, Callen, Deeks and Kensi on one side of the table, Eric, Nate and Sam on the other in a local steakhouse waiting for their meals to arrive. The place was pretty quiet, but they were there a little early for the dinner rush. Tables were dark oak, bright blue walls, the art of local artists lined the walls and made for conversation pieces.

"I hope Monty behaved for you," Deeks said to Kensi.

"Oh yeah," Kensi said. "He loved the groomer I took him too."

"Excuse me, what?" Deeks looked horrified.

"I'm kidding," Kensi replied. "I brushed him, but he still looks so scruffy." She smirked. "Kind of like his Papa."

"Ha-ha," Deeks said. "I shave for you, and this is what I get."

She reached over and felt his smooth face. "It's so strange, you being clean shaven."

"Strange? Alluring? Whatever," Callen said with a smirk.

"What?" Deeks looked confused.

"Callen's being a smart-ass," Kensi said shooting a glare at the Senior Agent-In-Charge.

"What was it you said, Kens?" Sam got in on the banter. "Stuck.. You were stuck on Wyler."

"Stuck. Smitten. Whatever," both Callen and Sam said at the same time with little grins on their face.

She glared at them both. "Your tab, right Sam?" Kensi asked with a wicked smiling signalling over the waitress. "Another beer please."

"You're not even done that one," Sam complained. Kensi picked up the bottle and chugged the last half. She smiled waved the empty at him and set it at the side of the table. "Oh come on," Sam shook his head. "Callen started it."

"He's been in the woods for sixteen days, that's punishment enough."

"Here, here," Callen agreed taking a chug of his own beer.

Kensi's beer came with a few more waiters who started setting down plates of food. Deeks's stomach rumbled loudly. "Ew, it's rare," Kensi said looking at his plate.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat it still mooing," Deeks replied trying to be polite and wait for everyone else's plates to be delivered.

"Dude, that's gross," Eric commented.

"Agreed," Nate said.

Sam lifted his glass as everyone had their food and he looked right over to where Callen and Deeks were sitting beside each other. "Glad to see you two back with family."

There was a clink of glasses, and bottles. Callen and Deeks looked to each other, a nod of respect and understanding and they clinked their bottles last. "Now eat your steak and potatoes so I can stop hearing about it," Callen said with a bit of a smirk.

Deeks laughed. "Not a problem there!"

Talking all but died as everyone picked up their knives and forks, the only talking were comments as to how quickly Deeks and Callen were scarfing down food. "We should have signed them up for a hot dog eating contest," Eric said before sipping his beer. "We could have got some cash out of all this."

"This is the most delicious steak of all time," Deeks commented with relish slowing down to actually enjoy the flavours rather than scarfing it down because he was starving. "Desert, is there desert?"

"This place makes some pretty fantastic cheesecake," Kensi said shooting a smile at Sam who gave a resigned sigh.

Callen had finished his plate and moved on to stabbing bits off Nell's plate. She didn't say anything at his less than stealthy efforts, the man hadn't eaten properly since he left, and it hadn't escaped her that his jeans were nearly falling off his hips. "You want to have desert too?" Nell asked him, he smiled at her and his eyebrows jumped. She laughed. "I didn't mean it like that!"

Plates were cleared, more beer and deserts were ordered and Sam was beginning to think he'd worked the entire week for their tab for one night, though it didn't bother him, Callen and Deeks were back safe and sound, that was what mattered.

::

Nate went back to the office when dinner was finished, he had a report to write up for the FBI, and three reports for Hetty all due in the morning, yet he couldn't focus on any of the four projects. He stood stretching out and took a moment to look out the window in his second floor office.

He stood there wondering how the agents were dealing. Really.

He'd watched at dinner, everyone pretending that it was all fine. Underlying though was the tension in Sam, likely due to the call Callen had gotten him in trouble for, then again, it could be because Callen was only partially acting like himself, still working back into his own skin after being away for so long.

Kensi was in full banter mode, having drinks, smiling because playing it off like it didn't hurt, because poking fun is easier than dealing with the emotions of fear and the certain anxiety she had to have felt when her partner had been used as a human shield, a gun to his head. Much like the case of her friend, Sierra, only the former agent hadn't been so lucky. There hadn't been someone to take a shot on the criminal.

Deeks could have died, Callen said as much, the last time they preformed that plan, it hadn't worked. Deeks was surely running on adrenaline that had yet to wane. He'd sat through dinner, had a beer, ate like he was a starving man (which considering the conditions they'd come out of, not unlikely) sixteen days in the wilderness with a bunch of paranoid militia men had to take it's toll, not to mention the stress of dealing with a partner that isn't your own.

Callen had gotten into the banter, but there was still underlying anger, and the manoeuver they'd pulled had brought back painful memories of a bad call, and a life lost. Despite him trying to be part of the conversation, Nate could see it was forced, it was for show and every once and a while his annunciation of words would slip and Sam would shoot him a worried look. He was obviously still getting rid of his alias, Nell would help him with that, Nate knew.

Nate was aware that Nell herself had, had difficulties with this mission. It the first long term mission that Callen had gone on since they'd been together, and that alone was hard enough to deal with, sixteen days of not knowing wether he'd come back dead or alive. Work late, come in early, and if the dark circles under her eye was any indication when she went home, she didn't sleep much, if she slept at all. And eventually she'd just had to sit, and wait, allow her fears to take reign of her mind, listening to the communication between other agents coming through the speakers.

Eric had been quiet which wasn't entirely unusual. Nate knew Eric to pop in at random moments, usually with an ill timed joke, he'd get in on the banter on occasion, but more often than not he and Nell would get into some conversation topic the rest of them knew nothing about. But he'd just been quiet, almost watchful of his friends, much like how Nate himself had been. Worried. Anxious to see how everyone was coping. The agents had it hard, but sometimes just watching, waiting, unable to do anymore... Nate never could decide which side of the coin was worse.

Nate himself knew that quarterlies were coming up, which was going to make him the most avoided member of the team for about a week until he'd managed to back everyone into a corner and give him something to put down on paper. Callen was usually the hardest, and oddly enough it was Eric that gave him a run for his money some years.

Nate unlocked his filing cabinet and pulled out a file. _Beale, E_. There was a picture inside, he'd managed to get through Hetty. One of Eric and his sister Shannon Darby Beale. They looked remarkably alike, Darby with a blonde bob and a smile she shared with her brother, both eyes lit up with happiness. He flipped through Eric's file, after his sister had gone missing the family had fallen apart unable to deal with the loss of the vivacious young woman. Eric kept working, he didn't talk about it, and since Nate had been working with Eric, Nate hadn't been able to get the man to talk much about his sister. Seven years was a long time to go without closure... Nate looked at a copy of the prescription sleeping pills he'd prescribed after a week of Eric on energy drinks snapping at everyone two years ago- everyone pretended it hadn't happened, or ignored it and had moved on, a memory forgotten.

All the agents had their moments where they reached the end of the road and teetered on the edge. Nate, as the operational phycologists, was there to grab them and pull them back. Some days that job became precarious, because Nate was finding that some days, he found himself tipping over the ledge with them.

::

"Well?" Michelle asked the second Sam got through the door, but she didn't need a verbal answer, Sam was smiling and she let out a breath that seemed to have been lodged in her throat for days, ever since Sam started getting quiet. She kept asking, and he kept saying it was an ongoing investigation, but it coincided with the fact that Callen hadn't popped his head in. She asked about him, and Sam would say nothing. She had known without being told that Callen was undercover, and she worried much like when Sam told her he was going away for a while on 'business.' She had always assumed they worked as a unit, or at the very least, directly with their partners always, but that wasn't the case. Callen hadn't gone in with Sam. "He's okay?"

"A couple of cuts," Sam said. "But he's fine."

"Daddy," Zoe said coming around the corner in her My Little Pony nightgown, it was past her bedtime, but he figured she'd been waiting up, it wasn't uncommon for her to stare out her window when she knew someone was coming home late. Sam had caught her on multiple occasions waiting up for Michelle when she'd worked late.

"It's past your bedtime," Sam said but she ran over and he bent down to pick her up. She was getting so big, pretty soon, he wouldn't be carrying his little girl around and it caused his heart to clench painfully. He'd missed a lot of her growing up, he'd missed a lot with Zachary too. Guilt ate at him, he tried his best when he was home, but sometimes your best just isn't good enough. His little girl giggled and tightened her grip around his neck, at least he must have done something right to invoke this kind of love.

"I was waiting for you, Daddy!"

He smiled as he carried her down the hall and into her bedroom. "Well, I'm home now, everyone's home so you need to get some sleep." Sam set her down and pulled up her blankets tucking her in. "I love you, Zoe."

"I love you too Daddy!"

::

Deeks liked the fact that Kensi didn't ask if he wanted company, she just pulled in after him and met him at the front door. He liked the fact that once he had the door open she was stepping in. He liked the fact that the second the door was closed her hands were on his chest backing him up until his back hit the door and then her lips were on his.

Her kiss was softer, slower than he had figured it would be after all this time. He was burning for her, but he kept it under wraps while she moved her lips against his. "I missed you," she said unbuttoning his shirt. "You two didn't meet us where you were suppose to," half way down his shirt, her fingers trembled. "Sam and I barged in, and... I knew it was possibility... but..." his hands grabbed her's stilling them. Her eyes were filled with tears when she looked up at him. "A gun to your head, Marty. I... oh, Marty." She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her tightly.

"I'm here, Kens," he whispered. "I'm here."

She needed that, the reassurance. She hated herself for such a weakness, whenever she found herself in a situation where she might loose Deeks she found the emotions welling up inside of her. And what if one day, they kept her from doing her job? What if she wasn't there for her partner, because she was to afraid of losing him to take the shot? What if there hadn't been a sniper in position today? What if she had to make the choice? What if she'd had to make that shot... and what if the militia's man's gun gone off? How was she to live with that?

"I have to go," Kensi said pushing away from him. How could she let this keep going? This insecurity gnawing at her, the fears that she had once thought she'd had a grip on, that had been put in a box and locked up.

"Kens," his hands gripped her arms tightly, his chest to her back, one hand releasing her only to snake around her waist and hold her to him. "Don't go."

She couldn't get her emotions back in the box where they belonged, and yet, in his arms she felt safe. "I'm scared, how can I keep being your partner if I don't think I can keep you safe?"

"Our job isn't safe," Deeks's voice was low and right by her ear. "But you have my back, and I trust you with my life, and I know you trust me with yours."

"What if one day one of us don't make it home?" Kensi asked, hating to hear the tremble in her voice.

"Than we be thankful that we have the memories," Deeks said. "I know you're scared, but I'm not letting you go Kensi." He turned her in his arms so he could say it all to her face, and the tears in her eyes made him want to hold her closer, reassure her somehow. "I'm not letting you walk away from this. You're so worried about the enemy, I'm most worried that one day you're just going to lock me out... because you're afraid to have something to lose again."

"Marty," she whispered biting down on her lip trying to get it to stop quivering. She felt weak, and yet, she felt safe, secure with him, trusted him enough to see her like this. He smiled and before she could blink he had picked her up eliciting a shocked gasp from her lips. "Marty!" She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her into the bedroom, he sat down on the bed and then laid down, Kensi ending up sprawled over him, he held her a little smile on his lips.

"Stay," he whispered. "You're not the only one afraid."

She blinked away the tears. He was scared of all the same things she was, but he was still willing to hold on, and she knew why. What they had was to precious not to hold on to. She moved slightly, curling up to his side, her legs still over him, her arm thrown over gripping onto his shirt, her head resting on his chest, eyes closed.

"I love you, Kensi," he whispered

It hung in the air and she bit her lip, unable to say it back.

::

"You've been busy," Callen commented as he looked around the house, she'd painted added trim, the livingroom looked more modern, a deep teal blue on the lower half of the walls, separated by decorative wood the top half white. The couches were gone. "Where's all your stuff?"

"Didn't match," Nell said shuffling her feet. "If you don't like it, we can change it. I just... you were gone...I kind of..."

"I get it," Callen said putting an arm around her shoulders. He understood throwing yourself in to a job to forget, or to push back the questions, the emotions, the worry and fear. "It's nice," he said truthfully, she'd done a fine job.

"I wanted to do the bathroom, but... I don't know much about plumbing and figured it should be left to a professional." He smiled, she just didn't bring colour to their house, she brought it into his life, just by being her. She took his hand and turned it over her eyes locked on the cut he'd gotten pushing away the knife. "I was so worried about you, G."

"Hey," he took his hand back and put both of them through her short hair. "I came back."

"I know."

He gave a playful smirk. "Would have stayed away longer if I'd known I'd have to go furniture shopping."

She gave a smirk of her own. "I'm going to have a shower," she said untucking her shirt and pulling it over her head, not breaking eye contact. "Join me?"

He nodded, his eyes grazing over her. He wanted her, needed her. Sixteen days of someone else, living in the middle of nowhere. He needed to be here, with her. His lips locked with hers and her hands started to work at the buttons on his shirt, but he pulled back tossing it over his head as they made their way down the hall.

::

Thanks for reading :)


	31. Chapter 31

"Mr Callen, Mr Deeks you both have appointments with Dr Zhu in an hour," Hetty said standing between the decorative iron walls to their work area. "Make sure to leave with plenty of time," she looked rather specifically at Callen. "Wouldn't want you having to go back to driving school," with that she left.

"Driving school?" Deeks's interest was peeked as he looked over at Callen.

"Don't even start," Callen insisted not taking his eyes from his laptop where he was writing up his report on the previous mission. As much as Callen didn't want to go to the doctor, he knew he had little choice in the matter, and had resigned to go, get the blood taken and come back to work.

"When was this? In recent years, right?" He looked to Kensi.

"It was a comedy driving school," Kensi told him with a big grin on her face. "He failed."

"I was working a case!" Callen glared over at Kensi. "The fact that I survived two days of that special brand of Hell should call for a damn metal."

"Come on," Deeks said. "It couldn't have been that bad."

Callen turned his cold eyes on Deeks. "There were puppets."

::

"I hate doctors offices," Deeks said as he and Callen rode the elevator in the hospital.

"Here I was thinking I was the only one," Callen responded leaning against the back of the elevator.

"It's just a needle though," Deeks said. "It's not that bad."

"Speak for yourself," Callen muttered. Already the Senior Agent could feel the tension knot between his shoulders, the accelerated heart rate, the anxiety and apprehension.

"Why do you hate needles so much?" Deeks asked. "Come on, I know you've been shot, been stabbed, but you're not afraid of guns or knives."

"Shut up, Deeks," Callen muttered as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

"It's a needle, it's like getting pinched, I don't understand."

"You don't understand Russian," Callen replied. "It doesn't mean I'm going to explain the Cyrillic alphabets to you." He pushed open the door and went to the check in station.

An elderly nurse smiled at them. "Names?"

"G Callen," Callen responded. "For Dr Zhu."

"Martin Deeks," Deeks added. "Same doctor."

"Alright boys," she responded typing at her keyboard. "Mr Callen, you can go into room two, and Mr Deeks, take a seat here in the office, I'll have you sent back in a minute."

::

"I'm making the lunch run," Nell said coming into the office with her tablet, her skirt flowing gently with the movement. "What do you guys want?"

"Burger, fries, side of gravy... with a coke," Kensi decided searching through her purse and coming up with a ten and a couple of ones.

Nell turned her attention to the ex-navy SEAL. "Sam?"

He stepped beside her and looked at the list of orders on her tablet, he let out a whistle. "I'll come with you, looks like you'll need the extra hands. How many people you picking up for?"

"Seven," Nell responded. "Nine if you count us as well."

"I'm driving."

Nell smiled. "Cool."

::

In three days, it would be seven years. Seven years since he'd seen his sister. Seven years since she'd gone missing. Seven years of this... _hopelessness_.

His phone was in his hand. Three missed calls. All from his mother. He let out a sigh. The phone rang in his hand. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Voice mail. He turned off the phone, took out the battery and put all the parts into his bag. The last thing he needed to deal with right now, was his mother.

"How is the task at hand going Mr Beale?" Hetty asked from the door.

For once he didn't jump, just looked over and forced himself to smile. "Nearly done, Hetty."

She gave a small nod and left the room.

::

"I told you that he-" Nate stopped as he was cut off and rubbed his temples. "I told you!" Why was it that he spent eight hours in interviews, and six hours compiling reports and giving a full profile to the FBI's joint task force if they were just going to ignore the file he'd sent, and then tell him that he hadn't warned them.

"Listen!" Nate barked. Nate considered himself to be rather passive, he had training in staying calm, cool and collected in any situation- but this? This was even making his blood boil. He spotted Hetty in the doorway and put up the universal 'one second' signal. She gave a curt nod and took a seat in the lounge couch. "I gave you fair warning, sixteen page long report classifying the man in question-" Nate rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand feeling a headache building. "Obviously!" Nate yelled into the phone. " I told you that he would express a lack of empathy toward others." Nate pulled the phone away from his ear as the man responded loudly. "It was in the report, he's a dissocial personality disorder. Irresponsibility to social norms. Incapable of understanding or feeling guilty over his actions. Of course... no... yes..." He sighed loudly for effect. "Did you even read the report?" Nate shook his head and disconnected the phone.

Nate looked over at Hetty who'd been studying him carefully since she'd come in. "The task force is lead by a narcissist," he explained sitting down in his seat.

"Ah," Hetty responded with a slight nod. "I wanted to talk to you about Mr Beale."

Nate sat a little straighter and tried to ignore the throbbing headache he now had. "What about him?"

"He seems a little..."

"Distant?"

Hetty nodded with a frown upon her face. "I'm worried about him. Seven years..."

Nate gave an understanding nod and signed into his laptop, he studied his schedule for the week. Two more profiles to do for the joint task force, three for NCIS related cases, six teams varying between four and six members due for their quarterlies. He made a mental note to pick up extra strong coffee- he was going to need it. "I'll try to get him in tomorrow," knowing he really should get Eric in before the seven year anniversary.

"Thank you, Nate," Hetty said getting up.

::

"This thing is rather roomy," Nell commented enjoying the space in the Challenger. She knew that she had a great amount of space in any car given her stature, but the interior was rather nice in this one.

Sam gave a smile. "Didn't notice that the first time around?"

"I rode in the back last time around," Nell said. "How do you think the guys are doing at the doctors office?" Nell was worried about Callen, she knew he doesn't like hospitals, he really doesn't like doctors, and he really _hates_ needles.

"Deeks'll likely talk the doctors ear off, and while Callen doesn't like needles, he'll go, get it done, come back to work and bitch about it all day," Sam said with a smile.

Nell remembered that Sam didn't know the reason why Callen hated needles. She did. Despite Sam's words, despite knowing it was just some blood work, she worried about him.

::

Callen came out ripping off the bandaid on his arm. He never seen the point of them, cotton swab and bandaid? Really, for such a little mark? His arm stopped bleeding nearly immediately and he waited impatiently in the office for Deeks.

The detective didn't take long to rejoin him and Callen got up and left the room as soon as Deeks rejoined. "See, wasn't so bad," Deeks said taking off the bandaid and tossing it in the garbage. "Can I drive?"

"No."

::

"Having fun with the wedding planning?" Nell asked.

"Haven't been doing it much," Sam responded as they waited for their orders to finish. "With the case load we've had..." Sam shrugged. The last thing on his mind while Callen and Deeks had been on a long term undercover stint with paranoid murders was wedding planning. "Michelle has plenty of ideas, lists, binders, pictures," Sam shrugged. "Soon enough I'll just have to show up."

Nell smiled. "Every girl dreams about their wedding day."

"And what's yours Miss Jones?"

Nell blushed. "I'm not even engaged."

"But you've been dreaming about it since you were little. Surely you have an idea."

"It's nothing," Nell insisted as food bags were handed over and she took three of them into her arms and started trudging along to the door trying very hard to avoid the conversation.

"Oh it's something," Sam said following her with two more food bags, he got the door and held it open for her, smiling, she was so tiny she could hardly see over the bags she was carrying.

"We are _so_ not having this conversation," Nell insisted. The wedding fantasy of a little girl was long gone, now it changed from day to day, only one constant. She wanted to walk down the isle, and she wanted to see G Callen at the end of it... and that was not a conversation she was going to have with Sam.

::

"Want to hit the beach?" Deeks asked Kensi on their way out of the office.

"Actually, I'm meeting Sierra," Kensi responded. "We're going to watch the Titanic, cry our eyes out and eat fine chocolates."

Deeks smiled. "So I take it that drinks went well the other night."

Kensi nodded. "It did... thanks, for giving me that push."

He took a casual look around and then kissed her forehead. "No problem, I'll see you tomorrow!"

She gave a wave and walked in the opposite direction to her car with a smile on her face. No matter what, and in so many capacities, Deeks was there for her. Always. Knowing that he would have her back, no matter what lifted some of the weight she'd been carrying for years making her feel younger, lighter... happier.

"About time," Sierra said already in the passenger seat and nearly giving Kensi a heart attack.

"It was locked."

Sierra gave Kensi a steely look. "Really? It was locked. No shit, I picked the lock. Jesus Kensi, I was the one who taught you!"

Kensi laughed starting up the engine. "You got the chocolate?"

"Like I would forget the chocolate!" Sierra responded with a hint of a smile. "So what's going on with you and the Detective?"

"Nothing," Kensi responded quickly.

"Yeah, and I believe you," Sierra responded with a smile and an eye roll.

Kensi kept her mouth firmly shut as she pulled out, but Sierra didn't loose the grin.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	32. Chapter 32

Kensi ate a truffle as she made some poured two mugs of coffee in her kitchen. Sierra leaned against the counter top beside her. "I just don't understand why she doesn't move over," Sierra said sniffling and looking around for the tissue box. "There was more than enough room on the debris."

"It's a tragic love story, Sierra," Kensi responded bringing down the sugar jar only to find it empty. She went to the cupboards to find the bag to refill it.

"Based on true events. Rose is a stone cold bitch," Sierra said finding the tissue box and quickly blowing her nose.

"Still gets you every time," Kensi said and then bit her tongue. Rose had lost Jack, watched him freeze and be taken into the icy waters. Sierra had watched her partner be shot in the head.

"DeCaprio stole my heart," Sierra said lightly, her hand grabbing Kensi's shoulder. "I know what you're thinking." Kensi stiffened under the touch, under the weight of the words. "You're seeing the parallels, knowing full well I see them too."

"How..." Kensi looked over at the older woman. "How did you..."

"Survive? Manage? Live afterwards?" Kensi couldn't maintain the eye contact with the blue eyed agent. "Pray you never have to find out," Sierra said softly. "Because for a while... I didn't think I would."

"Then how did you?"

"Stubborn as a mule," Sierra responded with a cold laugh. "Besides, what I did for the first few years after could hardly even pass as living."

"I'm sorry," Kensi whispered. "I wasn't there...I didn't..."

"It's fine," Sierra said looking at the ground. "You weren't the only one who didn't know what to do. The rest of my team didn't visit. Hetty was the only one who could look me in the eye... Hetty and Faraday."

"Faraday?" Kensi looked over, she knew the man in question. Faraday was an agent on Holden Merlow's team until the man had been killed on duty, Renko had been promoted to take over the vacancy. "Noah Faraday?"

"Yeah," Sierra responded. "We were close before... you know..." even after all the years that had passed she couldn't talk about it. "Went out for drinks with Renko, Cooper, Holden, Lydia, occasionally Kimi, or Ty from the tech department... usually as a group, but..."

"You had feelings for him?" Kensi guessed.

A hint of a smile appeared on Sierra's face, a faint pink hue to her cheeks and she shrugged. "Maybe... but... that was a long time ago. I'm not exactly the same woman as I was back then."

"Did he feel the same?" Kensi asked.

Sierra frowned and shrugged once more. "Never got to find out."

"What's stopping you now?"

Sierra looked over at Kensi and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, how about we quit the third degree here. What about you with tall, tanned, and fuckable?"

Kensi instantly flushed. "Sierra!" The blonde woman laughed.

::

"I'll forward you the pictures," Nell said, the phone to her ear. "Eloise, Sam's mother, sent them to me. There is one that is just hilarious, G's completely covered in glitter."

"_Glitter?"_ Susan asked on the other end of the phone sounding surprised.

"Renko's idea, confetti bomb. Three days before all of it had washed off," Nell laughed.

"_Well get sending them!"_ Susan insisted. _"When are you two coming back to visit?" _

"I don't know," Nell said quietly, she hated how guilty she felt when she thought of home, of her family that due to her job, she could never make time to visit more than two or three times a year. "Works kind of busy right now." She seen Callen in the doorway in jeans, a t-shirt and a zip up hoodie, he pointed to his watch and then nodded towards the door. "Speaking of work, I've got to go or I'll be late."

Susan sighed. _"Alright, call soon okay? I love you." _

"Love you too, Mom," Nell disconnected and set the phone on the table. She smoothed out her purple dress that was worn over grey tights and under a matching cardigan. She grabbed her bag. "I'm ready," she told him.

"How's everything?" He asked locking up the house.

"Good. Chloe's getting big, everyone is getting excited for the baby shower."

"When is it?"

"Next month," Nell responded with a sigh. "I have a feeling I'll end up missing it."

"Try talking to Hetty," Callen suggested. "Eric can pick up the workload for a couple of days."

"Mom wants you there too," Nell said looking over.

"I doubt I'll be able to get away," Callen said. "Besides, isn't baby showers a woman thing?"

Nell shook her head and rolled her eyes. "They're a 'oh my god, you're having a baby' thing." Callen unlocked the Mercedes opening her door for her getting her to smile at him and quit scolding him. "My family likes you," she said when he got in the drivers seat.

"Good to know," Callen responded turning the car on and putting it into reverse. "By the way, I talked to the contractors about the bathroom, the remodel you want done is doable."

Nell clutched her bag as he backed out the car and put it into drive. "How much."

"Eleven grand and some change," Callen said.

"Oh... well... maybe we could go with wood instead of the marble on the counter tops... and change the fixtures to somethi-"

"It's fine Nell," Callen said. "No point in half-assing it. If it's what you want, then we'll do it."

"I don't have eleven grand," Nell said.

"But I do," Callen said. The man had couch-surfed for the majority of his adult life, frugally saving, he'd never seen the point of shopping for this or that. Groceries, clothing when his became unwearable, and beer were the only things he ever bothered with buying, until the house... and that old beat up car for Sam after Charlene had been stolen.

"I don't expec-'

"It's fine, Nell," Callen insisted taking her hand. "I'll take care of it."

"You shouldn't have to foot the bill by yourself, I can help," Nell insisted.

Stopped at a stop sign he turned and kissed her quickly. "I've got it," he said before returning his attention to the road. She smiled just a little, he wanted her there, he wanted her to feel comfortable, he wanted his house to be their home. She squeezed his hand and he smiled. She leaned back and rested her eyes as they drove into work.

::

Nate jolted awake. His office was light and he wondered how long he'd been sleeping. He'd stayed late working on his reports for the FBI, he'd been finishing up one for Hetty when he figured he'd dosed off. "Eight in the morning," he muttered to himself checking the last save time on the file he figured he fell asleep around three in the morning. Five hours, not bad... other than the fact that the five hours had been in a chair. His neck had a kink and every time he looked left it gave a spasm of pain. His back cracked as he stood up slowly, groaning as his legs took on the weight.

He needed coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. He rubbed his eyes as he shuffled through ops. Some of the operational technicians were in already, a few from wardrobe repair, and despite not seeing her in her office as he came down the stairs, Nate figured that Hetty was around somewhere.

"Mr Getz?"

Nate just about jumped out of his own skin. "Hetty!" He put a hand over his accelerated heart.

"My apologies Mr Getz," Hetty said with a sly smile. "You really are getting jumpy."

He tried to keep his face impassive, he was exhausted, the exhaustion was ensuring he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, and his guard was down in a place he felt so safe in. The office had for him, like many agents before him, become home.

"What was it you needed, Hetty?" Nate asked.

"You... in a suit."

Nate looked down at himself, the crumpled navy blue suit from the night before, the tie undone and hanging off his shoulders. "I'm in a suit," he replied finally.

"One that you didn't wear yesterday," Hetty motioned him to follow and he sighed trudging behind her. "You slept at the office."

"Statement, not a question," Nate replied.

"I thought I would only have such a problem with Mr Callen."

"I fell asleep writing up some reports, I'll try not to let it happen again."

Hetty sighed heavily. "I worry about you Mr Getz," she admitted as she pulled a new suit in his size out of the racks of clothing. "Your case load was large when you were working exculsively for NCIS. Now I've pushed you into working overseas, becoming involved in joint task forces..."

"You might have given the initial push, Hetty," Nate said. "But I chose to accept those responsibilities."

"Because it's who you are," Hetty responded. "You always want to help, but who helps you?"

Nate smiled, a little sadly- in Hetty's opinion. "I'm fine Hetty."

Hetty passed him the suit. "Shower, new suit... and shave, Mr Getz."

Nate smiled, this time it touched his eyes. "Going," he replied.

::

Kensi and Deeks showered at his place and stored the surf gear after their morning rendezvous. "We're going to be late!" Kensi said pulling on her shoes.

"We're not going to be late," Deeks said as he finished tying up his shoes and picked up his mug of coffee. "Just don't take the highway, it'll be crammed."

"Hetty's going to rip us a new one," she said rushing out the door, unlocking her car with the remote.

"We're not going to be late," Deeks said taking out his phone as he walked around the car. "I hope Callen picked up donuts."

"Unlikely, he told me he'd be coming in early to do reports. He never brings donuts when he comes in with Nell." Deeks smirked and then bit his response back. "What?" Kensi said noticing he didn't reply.

"I bet they don't leave enough time for 'good' mornings when he comes in with Nell." Kensi rolled her eyes. "So how did your girls night with Sierra go?"

"Good... we talked out some stuff that's been silently hanging over both of our heads," Kensi said pulling out quickly and Deeks adjusted his hold on his coffee so he wouldn't spill it. "Ate some chocolate, watched my favourite movie, all in all, a good night." Kensi smiled remembering the night curled up on the couch with an old friend, a box of fine chocolates between them. "And what did you do last night?"

"Hung out with Monty," Deeks responded. "Bath time," he said shaking his head. "Febreezed the hell out of my place, it almost doesn't smell like wet dog anymore."

Kensi laughed, and Deeks judged the speedometer with the clock on his phone and guessed with her driving they'd be at least five minutes early.

::

Showered and dressed, Nate figured he needed to take his other suit to the drycleaners. Along with several other suits... the bill would be a nightmare. He couldn't decide which was worse, quarterlies, or the trip to the drycleaners. He figured he should get Callen first, because once Callen was aware it was quarterlies he became nearly impossible to track down. Eric was the most high risk with the seven year anniversary of his sisters disappearance, and had shown signs of drawing into himself, Nate would go to the Technical Operator first.

He stopped by his office to pick up his files when the phone rang. He looked at the digital read out on the phone. He sighed as he dropped into his chair. "Getz," he answered.

"We need you to come in and interview a suspect," the leader of the joint task force said in a way that was not a question, but an order.

"I have other priorities," Nate responded. "I have other responsibilities here."

"We just spent four hours interrogating this guy, we don't have much time left before the missile buy goes down, and unless we are there-"

"I know," Nate responded weighing his options. The missiles in this case could go to one of two buyers they were watching out for. One Armenian, and one Russian, and to them it was bad news for whichever won the bid. The missile could do serious damage, in the right place, thousands of lives lost. He needed to talk to Eric though, Nate was not blind to the psychological torment the young man was going through.

"Now, Getz, get moving." The task force leader hung up the phone and Nate rubbed his temples. If he was lucky, he could make it back to the office in the early afternoon, he could talk to Eric then. He put his files for quarterlies back in the cabinets and locked them up before he left his office. Callen was sitting at his desk doing paperwork, Sam had just come in, and Hetty was downstairs, she looked at him as he descended.

"Mr Getz?"

"I got pulled back out by the joint task force," he said. "I'll try to be back by early afternoon."

She stared at him over her glasses. "See to it that you are, Mr Getz."

::

Eric couldn't get his head together. It didn't help that he hadn't been able to sleep, Nell had noticed when she'd come in, she'd questioned him and he'd shut her down quickly. He'd thrown himself into work, but his mind wasn't functioning the way it should. He couldn't focus on cracking the encryption data.

"Eric?" Nell whispered, her eyes flicking between the screen, his fingers, and his face. "You need to talk about it."

"I'm fine, Nell."

"No you aren't," she insisted as she turned away from her own work. "Any other time you'd have had that data ten minutes ago." She was worried about her friend, she was also worried about the fact that any slip up, the fact that ten minutes ago he should have cracked the code, the fact that the agents were running out of leads. Their job was to give the agents the information they needed, their work was always crucial to solving cases, and many times, saving lives.

"It's a difficult code, Nell," Eric argued.

"Not for you!" She protested. "You're the best at what you do Eric! I know you! This... this isn't you. You need to have your head in this."

"It is!" Eric rose his voice and the other technicians turned, they rarely had such altercations up in the geek hub. Maybe it was a lie. He wasn't sure. He kept trying to think clearly. The firewall went up and someone was trying to prevent him from getting past the encryption. "Damn it!"

"Our agents are out there!" Nell said looking at his screen. "They need to know what is in that file, Eric!"

"I'm trying!" Eric forced himself to focus, on this one thing, his entire being into cracking the code, and preventing the secondary hacker from stopping his efforts. The second hacker pushed him out of the system and Eric sat back in shock.

"_Eric? Did you get the data?"_ Deeks asked through the earwig.

"No," Eric said sounding shocked. "No, I didn't." How could this of happened? He was the best at what he did, even Hetty said so, he always knew there was a reason why she put up with his wardrobe selection. But today... he had failed.

And he shouldn't have.

What he'd failed at today, was something he should be able to do in his sleep. His heart was hammering in his chest. Often times he was telling the agents were to go, going over schematics, heat signatures... what if... what if his inability to function had caused an agent to be wounded? Or worse, killed?

He got out of his chair, threw down his comm device and left the ops centre.

If he couldn't crack a simple encryption, what the hell was he doing working here?

::

**Thank you for reading :)**


	33. Chapter 33

Nell had wanted to run after Eric, but she couldn't. Sam needed a phone turned back on and called, Deeks needed the information Eric had been hacking into. Kensi needed a license plate run, and a car put into Kaleidoscope. Nell had to do her job, and Eric's now that he'd left the room. She typed quickly into her computer turning the phone back on for Sam and dialling the number, while putting the phone on a second line she called to Nate's office, but no one answered. "Oh bugger," she muttered.

"_What?"_ Sam asked on the other end of her comm device.

"Nothing, Sam," she replied. "The phone is about a block west of where you are, it should be ringing."

"_Thanks, Nell."_

"_What are we going to do about the laptop information?" _Deeks asked.

"_Did you get a drivers license for the plate I sent you?"_ Kensi asked. _"Or a hit on the driver for the second vehicle?"_

"No, no and no," Nell responded quickly as she typed as fast as she could.

"_I need that data,"_ Deeks said.

"_I need to know who that guy shooting at me was,"_ Kensi barked.

Nell's stress went up and she quickly compartmentalised. "Deeks, you're going to have to wait. Kensi the car belongs to Matthew Logan, he reported it stolen three days ago, I'm typing the logistics into Kaleidoscope but it'll take time to get a hit."

"_What is on that-"_ Deeks was cut off by Nell before he could finish.

"I know!" Nell tossed her comm device, hit the phone again and this time dialled Hetty.

"_Miss Jones?"_

"Eric walked out," she said quickly. "I need someone that can break the encryption data."

There was a heavy sigh from Hetty. "_Have you tried contacting Mr Getz?" _

"Is he here? I called to his office."

"_I haven't seen him return,"_ Hetty replied. _"I'll send Miss Niigata to you for the encryption data, try and hold the fort till I can find Mr Beale." _

Nell was an Intelligence Analyst, not a Technical Operator. She knew her way around most of the programs Eric used because he'd shown her, but she was nowhere near as proficient in them as he was. She knew he was the very best at what he did, and now the team was stuck with just her. Pressure mounting she buckled down.

Kimi walked in, her black locks swaying with her quick skip, electric blue streak in the underside. "Hetty sent me, what do you need?"

Nell pulled out a chair. "I don't even know."

Kimi studied the program Eric had been using. "Breaking through the encryption, firewall and by the looks of it, someone got booted by a secondary hacker." Kimi smiled. "Good thing I had my Wheaties this morning."

Nell and Kimi got along, but Nell couldn't find it in her to smile, her team was out in the field and Eric... her best friend...Nell bit her lip, she couldn't do anything right now, but she quickly took out her phone and texted Nate's cell.

'_**Eric took off from ops. He needs you.' **_

::

The team had come back from a rather stressful mission. Kensi was nursing some bruised ribs from a fight and Deeks who'd been hit by a car while chasing a suspect had a wicked bruise and the imprint of a partial license plate on his leg had limped to the kitchen to hunt down some ice packs. Sam had headed to the showers after a less than stellar fight scene at a garbage dump.

Callen himself was nursing a wicked migraine that might have something to do with the fact a man had punched him when he was down, he could still hear the crack as the back of his skull hit the pavement. He immediately to Hetty's office. "Where is Eric?" Callen was absolutely infuriated. How could Eric just up and leave in the middle of an operation?

Communication had become a jumbled mess where no one was getting the information they needed despite Nell working as hard and as fast as she could. Kimi was helping when she could, but she had to support a team herself. Kensi had been searching a house, completely unaware that the man who owned it had pulled up, the car had been in Kaleidoscope, but Nell hadn't had time to track the movements while she was pulling up information on an human trafficker for Sam and coming up with the information on three potential terrorists that Callen needed. Deeks had been so out of the loop that he'd missed the suspect the first time, and that alone could have cost them all dearly.

"We can't find him, Mr Callen," Hetty said quietly and Callen sensed motion behind him, he turned to face Nell.

"It's like he's completely gone off the grid," Nell said worriedly. "Finding an old VW bus should be a cake walk."

"I'm going to kill him," Callen muttered. Callen had worked with Eric since coming to NCIS: OSP, never before had the technical operator let him down like this. Left the team dangling out in the field- Callen was team leader, had any of the agents been injured, or God forbid, killed, it would be on him. Just like Dom's still hung over his head.

"He's hurting," Nell defended. She knew the significance of the dates, how close it was to the seven year anniversary of his sisters disappearance, in the days before she could see how it was eating at him, tearing him apart, breaking his focus. It was killing him.

Callen ran a hand over his head, a act which he knew Nate would say was a clear sign of frustration, and despite his training he did nothing to hide it. "His actions directly harmed the team, Nell!" Callen responded heatedly. The fact that the team had come back in one piece and the criminals were behind bars was nothing short of a miracle.

Nell let out a steadying sigh. "Calm down, what's done is done," Nell put a hand up trying to calm him, but he backed a step away from her.

"What's done is done?" Callen could hear the tremor of pure anger in his voice. It wasn't so much aimed at her as the situation, but he couldn't understand her defending his actions. "And if he walks out on us again? That kind of abandonment could be the difference between everyone walking back here, or coming in, in a body bag!"

"Mr Callen," Hetty tried to interject in the budding fight between the agent and the analyst, but neither paid her any attention, much like the rest of the ops centre, everyone was pretending not to, but eyes and ears were on the two of them.

The image of a body bag zipping up had her cringing, the image was so clear when she'd had to shoot a man in self defence back in Bosnia. It still haunted her, but this time the image had Kensi in the body bag, then Sam, then Deeks, and when her mind conjured the image of the bag zipping up over Callen's lifeless body she physically shook her head, her choppy brown locks spinning out with the movement, her stomach lurched and her heart clenched painfully. "He needs help, Callen!" Nell argued. "You have no idea what he's been through!"

"I know that he should have left it at the door!" The only time he'd let his personal feelings interfere was when Hetty had gone, and hell, they'd _all_ let their feelings interfere.

"Not everyone can internalize everything like you!" Nell regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth, because she knew they could so easily be misconstrued. She knew what he'd lived through, what he hid, what he shoved down that the only time it came out was when he slept and then the nightmares would begin, it was no wonder he was an insomniac.

Callen's face went completely impassive, and Nell knew her words had wounded him. "How long have you been looking for him?"

"G..."

"How long!"

"Since he left," Nell admitted slowly.

"For someone so bright, you sure can be an idiot," Callen shook his head. "The team was counting on you to pick up Eric's slack, and instead you were using your time looking for him?"

Nell was surprised, Callen never argued in such a way, never resorted to name calling, and really, they rarely fought. On the odd occasion it was something trivial, but even then, it was hard to argue with someone who had such control over their emotions, he would take a step back, and then talk back with such logic they'd quickly and calmly work it back out. She could tell that by how furious he was that he wasn't going to be doing the logical thinking this time around.

"Callen," Deeks said. "We need to find Eric now." He held out a ice pack. "You got a goose egg on the back of your head..." he looked over at Kensi when Callen didn't take the ice pack.

"We don't have to find anyone," Callen said walking between Kensi and Deeks on one side, Hetty and Nell on the other.

"G?" Nell whispered and then quickly walked after him, grabbing his arm. "Callen!"

He glared at her. "What?"

"You're not walking away from this!" Nell's grip tightened on his arm. She wasn't even sure as to which meaning it had. Not walking away from Eric... or not walking away from her.

"Why not?" Callen responded.

"Because Eric _needs_ you."

"He _abandoned _us," Callen's voice was quiet, but it didn't loose any of the fury from before.

"I'm sure that's not what he meant," Nell insisted. "And it doesn't mean you should abandon him."

"What's going on?" Sam asked quietly to Hetty, Kensi and Deeks having come back fresh from the showers in the clothing from his go bag.

Deeks simply made the sound of an explosion and a gesture of something blowing up with his hands.

Kensi was more helpful. "Eric walked out, Nell was looking for him, and Callen is pissed six ways to Sunday."

"Great," Sam muttered.

Callen ran his hands over his head again, turning away from her and her hand touched his back his hands dropped and he looked over his shoulder at her. "Any feed from the garage?" He said in a defeated tone, he still had an edge of heated anger to the words.

"Most of the garage isn't equipped, no footage in his parking area, and none of him leaving," Nell responded still breathing heavily from the fight, still flushed with fear, with anger and anxiety. She was angry with Callen, Eric was her best friend, was his friend too! Why didn't he want to help? How could he so easily turn his back on Eric?

"I'll go talk to Sierra, see if she spotted him leaving. Kensi, Sam, check out his apartment. Deeks, sit down and get ice on that leg," Callen instructed. "Nell, try his cell phone, he might answer if it's you."

"I've tried," Nell's voice took on an edge of desperation, and she knew she was on the verge of tears. What if something really bad had happened? Why had she let him leave? Guilt weighed on her. Callen's hand gave her shoulder a squeeze and she wrapped her arms around him, she knew no matter how angry he was with the situation, he wouldn't let her down.

His arms tightened around her. "Keep trying Nell." He looked over her shoulder at Hetty. "What is this about?"

Hetty shook her head. "I'm sure you wouldn't want your file spread out for everyone."

"Well you have my permission to do so if I go off the reservation," Callen said. "I need to know what we're dealing with!"

::

Nate walked in to hear the end of Callen's words, he could hear the tension in his voice, the barely hidden anger, raw and painful. "I need to know what we're dealing with!"

"What is going on?" Nate asked putting his briefcase down. His interrogation had gone on hours longer than expected, between that and having to go in to help apprehend the man in question. Callen had Nell in his arms, Hetty was standing in her office, the other three agents around her. "Where is Eric?" Nate was a smart man and quickly put together the pieces.

"We don't know, Mr Getz," Hetty responded sadly.

Guilt ate at him. They'd gotten the Armenian, they'd retrieved the missiles... but he'd failed Eric. "When did he leave?" Nate asked.

"Early this morning," Nell responded stepping out of Callen's arms. "He just walked out on a case. It's not like him, Nate!"

"I know," he said in a calm voice despite the terror he harbored. He placed a hand on her shoulder and bent to eye level. "We're going to find him Nell."

"Call him," Callen ordered he looked over at Kensi and Sam and they both sprung into action heading to Sam's car, while Callen left for the garage.

::

"I shouldn't have let him leave," Nell said in the ops centre, her eyes drifting to Eric's chair. His phone once again went to voice mail, but she'd already left six messages. "I knew there was something wrong, and when he couldn't break through the encryption he just... left."

She looked up at Nate with tear filled eyes that still broke his heart after all these years. He should have stayed. He had failed in his duties to the agents and the support staff. He had known Eric was on the ledge, the ledge Nate was there to safeguard them from falling over...

"I'm scared Nate," Nell admitted. "I can't find his car... what does that mean?"

"That he either ditched it somewhere with no cameras or that he borrowed a friends vehicle," Nate said, his hands going over her shoulders and massaging the tense muscles, instead of loosening, she stiffened further.

Her hands coming up to lightly brush his away. "Don't Nate."

He let his hands slip to the side. "I'm sorry, Nell."

"We have to find him," Nell whispered, she wasn't sure she could live with the guilt if something happened to Eric.

He wanted to say they would, but... Eric knew exactly how to avoid the technology he used to find others. Guilt was gnawing in a nearly physical manner making Nate feel ill. They had to find Eric. "Where could he be?" Nate wondered out loud.

::

"Sierra?" Callen yelled coming into the garage through the stairwell. He heard the rumble of a car and the garage door in the fifth port opened, fifth port was all cars going to the parking area, a car came up and exited the garage door coming back down after it. "Sierra?" He called again going into the working part of the garage.

Sierra rolled out from under a car. "You," she said with a sigh. "Did you get bullets in the Mercedes again?"

"No," Callen said. "Did you see Eric leave?"

The line of questioning had the former agent on her feet. "What's going on?"

"Did you see Eric leave?" Callen barked heatedly, the anger from earlier still simmering just below his skin.

"Yeah, how can you miss that beast?" Sierra responded. "But that was hours ago."

"But he left in his car?" Callen needed the reassurance that they had a proper starting point.

"Yeah, of course," Sierra said her eyebrows drawing down with worry, her arms crossing over her chest. "Eric's support staff, unless you came here with him and signed off on the proper paperwork, he can't take out a car."

Callen gave a sharp nod. "Did you see which way he went?"

Sierra shook her head, stray hairs slipping from her bun swaying with the movement. "Wasn't paying that much attention, working on a transmission problem," Sierra frowned. "Is he okay?"

"I don't know, he walked out middle of a mission," Callen said the anger like venom slipping into his words.

"Well... if you don't know, assume that he isn't," Sierra said to him and their blue eyes locked. "You and I both know what this job does."

Callen's teeth grinded together. "He abandoned the mission."

"Why, Callen?" Sierra asked. "Why?" She watched him carefully. "Why would Eric Beale, Technical Operator leave in the middle of a mission?"

That was the question that Callen really needed someone else to answer. "I don't know," he replied. "But I know exactly who to ask."

::

Sam pulled up to Eric's apartment building and Kensi broke in, they went room to room. "Clear," Sam said.

"Clear," Kensi replied with a sigh. "I'd hoped he'd just holed up with a video game...where would you go if you walked out in the middle of a mission?"

"I'd have to go to Iceland or something to avoid G," Sam responded gruffly. "Knowing G though, he'd fly his ass to Iceland just to verbally rip me a new one."

"I'm surprised, at how he reacted, he usually keeps his emotions in check," Kensi said looking around the room.

Sam frowned. "Eric walked out, that put all of us in danger. You know how protective G is."

Kensi gave a sad smile, she did. Callen, for all his faults, was protective of those he called family. She walked over to a framed photograph on a book shelf and picked it up. It was a picture of Eric and Bethany on the boardwalk, both smiling. "Do you think he would have went to Beth?"

"It's worth the look," Sam replied and they locked up Eric's apartment and got back in the Challenger.

::

"He left in his vehicle," Callen said as he walked into the ops centre. "Find the nearest street cameras, one of them had to have captured something!"

"I've already tried that!" Nell said turning to face him in her chair. "He knows where the cameras are Callen, he knows how to avoid them."

Callen sighed heavily. "Has Sam and Kensi checked in yet?"

"Yeah, they're going to check in with Bethany," Nell responded.

Callen turned his attention to Nate. "What is it you're not telling me?"

"Excuse me?" Nate responded coming out of his thoughts.

"Why did Eric leave?"

"Callen," Nate started slowly trying to calm the agent with a soothing voice, but it only seemed to further irritate the already infuriated agent.

"Why did Eric leave!" Callen raised his voice.

"Doctor patient confidentiality," Nate said softly. He couldn't break his oath, what Eric had told him was under the strictest confidences.

Callen looked to Nell, why hadn't she asked this of Nate? _Because she knows_, he figured quickly. "You know," he said looking right at her. "Tell me, Nell."

"G," she whispered.

"I need to know what I'm dealing with!" Callen's words were quick and angry. "How bad is it?"

"Bad," Nell said. "It's bad. He's hurting, he's been hurting for a long time." C

Callen looked over to see Deeks had hobbled up the stairs and was listening intently to the back and forth. Callen returned his attention to Nell. "How worried are you?" He asked Nell.

"Very," she responded, her voice trembling.

He didn't want to ask, but he knew he had to. "Do you think he'll do something to harm himself?"

Nell was silent, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know," she whispered.

The anger seemed to evaporate from Callen as he walked over. "GPS? His vehicle has it," his hand went over her hair soothingly. "Did you check to see if he ditched it?"

Her hands flew over the keys and she nearly shook when she read the location. "Still in the garage, he abandoned it before he left."

"Doc," Deeks said gaining not just Nate's attention, but that of Callen and Nell. "In the situation, whatever it is... what do you think he'd do? You think he's okay?"

Nate sighed heavily. "Depends. He may have gone to a friend."

Nell's phone went off. "That was a text from Kensi, he's not with Bethany."

"It's unlikely he would have went to her, I'm talking a friend who knows."

"Who Nate?" Callen ordered.

"Callen, you know-"

"Nate!"

"Nolan, Nolan Baker," Nate said.

"Find him, send the address to Kensi and Sam," Callen told Nell but she was already on it. "I need to know what we're dealing with. Exactly," Callen demanded.

"His sister," Nell whispered. "His sister went missing almost seven years to the day... they... never found a body."

Callen knew the loss of a sister he couldn't remember. Eric knew the loss of one he'd known well.

Deeks broke the quiet. "Whenever I have to deal with something and want to get it out of my head, I spend the day at the beach, you have to focus on the waves... Eric's a surfer guys, if he isn't killing Locusts in Gears, he's at the beach!"

"But what beach?" Callen asked.

"Which ever one has the most brutal swells," Deeks hobbled over and dropped into Eric's chair. He quickly typed at the computer terminal looking at the surfing information for the local area. "If I had to bet, Topanga Point," Deeks said leaning back in the chair. "It's where I'd be."

"I'll drive," Callen said, and everyone followed.

::

**Thanks for reading**.


	34. Chapter 34

Callen was pretty sure he was caught by the red light cam, but he was also pretty sure that Hetty wouldn't send him back to driving school because of it. The anger was simmering, but the worry was currently overlaying it. Once he knew Eric was in one piece, _then_ he'd rip him a new one.

It wasn't just the significant age gap between Eric and Callen that kept them from becoming close, but the complete lack of common ground. Finding two men more different would be a difficult task. It didn't mean they weren't friendly with one another, they'd talk during group outings, pair up on occasion for a game of pool. They knew each other well enough to call the other a 'friend' but this stunt had hurt Callen. Despite trying his best not to feel the overwhelming abandonment, he couldn't let it go. Not just him, but Eric had, in Callen's mind, abandoned the team... while they were in the field, something that could have had deadly consequence. Both Kensi and Deeks were injured, his head was throbbing but it could have been so much worse.

"Where is the turn off, Deeks?" Callen asked.

"Next street, hang a left," Deeks responded from the backseat.

Callen flipped on his blinker and impatiently waited for other drivers to pass so he could safely make the turn. Tires squealed the second the last car had gone by and he pulled up to the beach parking lot, doors were opened before the car was even in park.

Callen wished his partner was here, the vast ocean was the ex-SEAL's playground. The waves looked absolutely vicious, it could be a dangerous swim. "Maybe he's not here," Callen said as he, Nell, Deeks and Nate surveyed the waves.

"I hope not," Deeks said looking out at the ocean, she was angry. "Eric's good, but those waves are brutal, plus Topanga Point has a sand and _rock_ bottom, depending on where you fall, it could mean serious injuries."

"Maybe he's with Nolan," Nate hoped out loud.

"I'll call Kensi," Nell said pulling out her phone and dialling the number.

"Yeah," Kensi answered.

"Is Eric with you?" Nell asked.

"No," Kensi replied with a sigh. "And his friend, Nolan, who by the way I might be suffering a contact high from hasn't seen him."

"We're at Topanga Point, Deeks figured he might go surfing." Nell filled in. "But we can't see him."

"Maybe another beach, or maybe he didn't go surfing at all," Kensi replied.

"There!" Callen pointed at a blonde surfer riding one of the waves. "That him?" From their distance it was hard to make out, same height, build, hair, a likely match.

"Eric!" Nell shouted before Deeks put a hand over her mouth.

"Don't break his concentration!"

Nell pushed him away but kept quiet as she approached the water. "We found him Kensi," she said hanging up and slipping the phone into the pocket on her cardigan. The ocean came foward to greet her, the cool water washing over her feet, soaking her flats and her tights. He rode to the end of the wave before dropping off into the water, his head bobbing back up a second later and Nell let out a breath of relief. "ERIC!" she shouted over the sound of the crashing waves. His head bobbed around looking before he spotted her, and the rest as they joined Nell at the waterline.

Callen shook his head, the worry once again dissipating and the anger reemerging.

::

The waves were ruthless, and it was exactly what Eric needed. He couldn't clear his head in the OPS centre, and that was _his_ domain. He had _failed_. Every time he got the least bit distracted out here thought, the relentless waves would knock him down a peg and at the end he was just trying to keep going, completely exhausting himself.

He rode the next wave carefully, his mind on the water, on his footing and when he reached the end he allowed himself to fall back knowing the ocean would catch him. He came back up, grabbed his board and heard his name being called. It was female, familiar, and he searched the shoreline until he seen Nell.

_Nell. _

And she wasn't alone, Callen came to stand beside her, so did Deeks, and Nate.

"Shit," he muttered to himself.

::

"Are you okay?" Nell asked him worriedly as Eric came out of the water, surfboard under his arm.

Eric opened his mouth, closed it and considered his answer. To say he was fine would be an obvious lie, and if he walked out of ops when he was 'just fine' he was quite sure Callen would punch him. In fact, Eric was getting pretty worried that the agent might just do it anyways. Anger was practically radiating off of Callen, the same way Nell looked saddened and Nate looked worried. Eric finally just shrugged. He turned to Callen. "I'm sorry, okay?"

"No, no it isn't okay Eric!" Callen retorted back.

Nate's hand gripped Callen's shoulder. "Calm down, Callen."

Callen pushed away Nate's hand. "What the hell were you thinking? Walking out on the team like that Eric?"

"It wasn't like I was helping," Eric responded pushing his wet hair back. "I couldn't... I can't."

"You should have stayed!" Callen nearly yelled at him.

This time it was Nell that put a hand on his chest. "Cut it out, G."

Eric wasn't much of a fighter, especially not when it came to the agents. Angry Callen was even more intimidating than regular Callen, and Eric had never wanted to be on the agents bad side. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry? Kensi and Deeks are both injured! Your job is to keep them safe from the ops centre, because of the lack of organization, the lack of communication Kensi's ribs are bruised, Deeks has half a license plate imprinted on his leg, do you realize how much worse it could have been? Kensi got snuck up on, when she should have known the car was pulling up, had she not been able to disarm him she could be dead!"

"Callen, you're not helping," Deeks said warily. "Look, I'll drive Eric's vehicle, we'll all meet back at the office."

"I'm not trying to help, I'm trying to make _you_," he turned from Deeks back to Eric. "Realize how _important _you are. How much this team_ relies _on you! And you turned your back on everyone, you screwed us over Eric!" Eric shook his head and turned his back on them again, which prompted Callen to grab his arm. "You walk away from this it better be to hand in your resignation letter."

"Screw you Callen," Eric ripped his arm away and continued on.

Nate made a stay motion to the agents and the analyst as he quickly caught up to Eric with his long strides.

Nell's tear filled eyes turned coldly to Callen. "Real sensitive, G," she said sarcastically.

"I'd rather have everyone pissed with me, than dead on a case because he walked out," Callen responded watching the two tall men get into the VW bus. Perhaps he had been rough on the technical operator, but it was _his_ team and the fact was, he couldn't ignore Eric abandoning it in a time of need. They had needed Eric, and he hadn't just been unable to get the intelligence, that alone would have, sure, angered Callen, but not to the extent of the simple fact that Eric had walked away. Callen couldn't help but feel betrayed, couldn't help but loose his trust in Eric.

::

Kensi and Sam rejoined Deeks who was sitting at his desk with an ice pack on his leg and Nell who was leaning against Kensi's desk in the bullpen. Eric, and Nate were sitting with Hetty in her office.

"Where's G?" Sam asked looking around. Nell sent angry eyes over at him for so much as uttering the man's name and Sam put up his hands in defence. "What happened?"

"Callen was..." Deeks looked for a word.

"An insensitive twat," Nell said crossing her arms angrily over her chest.

Kensi's eyebrows jumped up at Nell's vulgar expression, she then cast a worried look over to her partner, who sighed and shrugged in response. "Fill us in," Kensi said.

Nell mostly told the story, her anger and worry nearly palpable.

"Miss Jones, a word," Hetty requested and Nell followed behind leaving the three agents to talk.

"Was it really that bad?" Kensi asked Deeks.

"Actually, being there was worse. It's obvious Eric's in pain," Deeks said with a frown. "But I can understand where Callen is coming from."

"Really?" Kensi asked surprise entering her voice. "Sounds like he was kind of a dick."

Deeks shrugged. "You could have been killed, Kens," Deeks responded. "I can see why Callen worried. We're a team, a unit, and when something in that sequence breaks off..." Deeks shrugged. "Well... we're not exactly in the business of selling balloon animals. In our line of work, it can go from bad to ugly in about three seconds."

"You know where G is?" Sam asked the detective.

"Last I seen he was headed toward the gym," Deeks responded and watched as Sam left to find his partner. He turned his attention to Kensi. "What does this mean for the team?"

"Nothing good," Kensi replied looking nervously over to where Nell, Nate, Eric and Hetty were gathered.

::

Sam could hear the beating the heavy bag was receiving before he got to the gym doors. He peered through the windows on the door to see that it was just Callen inside. Sam was a team oriented, never leave a man behind kind of guy so he knew he was on Eric's side, it wasn't often that he went against his partner, but... sometimes someone had to put Callen in his place.

He walked in, Callen didn't stop the quick strikes, his shirt ringed with sweat. "G!" He called out not wanting to spook the man knowing that in Callen's current head space it wouldn't end well.

Callen landed a few more blows before he stopped the bag with both hands and turned his attention to Sam. "You want to lay into me now too? Tell me I was too harsh? Too insensitive? Didn't get enough hugs as a child?"

"Who said the last one?"

Callen glared. "I adlibbed it."

"G."

"Don't," Callen warned. "I told him on the beach, if he walked away there than he better hand in his resignation and he walked. I won't work with him."

Sam sighed. "Don't you think you're being a little over dra-"

"Obviously not!" Callen cut in before Sam could finish. "It's my job to keep this team together, to keep everyone safe. It's hard enough doing it with just the terrorists, but now I should have to worry about what will happen if our Technical Operator decides to walk out on us again?" Callen's hands up in the air with a grand gesture of his annoyance. "What do you expect of me, Sam?" Callen respected Sam's opinion, needed to know someone in this mess had his back. "What do you expect of me?" He asked again the heated anger never leaving his words.

Sam was exasperated with his partner. "I expect you to be there for your team, G." Sam knew that Callen was self sufficient and didn't expect anyone to be there for him, he expected everyone else to be the same way.

Callen crossed his arms over his chest, _so much for support_. "So you think I should just ignore the fact that he left us high and dry on a case. The consequences of today could have been..." Callen shook his head, it was obvious that Sam wasn't going to budge in his thinking. "Forget it. Want me to make nice, too bad. If he's not getting transferred. I will."

"G..." but Callen wasn't listening as he walked off to the showers. "G!" Sam called again but was once more ignored and the door to the mens locker room closed with a slam. "Shit..."

::

"We will deal with this Mr Beale. This team is a family. Is a unit," Hetty said, her voice saddened.

"I don't think Callen would agree with you," Eric said quietly as he stared at his hands in his lap. "He wants me to resign."

"I will be having words with Mr Callen," Hetty said sharply. "Make no mistake, his actions were out of bounds and he does not have the authorization to say such things." Hetty frowned. "I'm giving you the next seven days off. I expect you to see Mr Getz all seven of them at noon."

"What if... what if I can't do this job anymore?" Eric asked fearful to look up.

Hetty was silent for a moment collecting herself. "We will deal with such a thing after the seventh day... Eric... we will be here for you, no matter what you choose."

"I've got your back, Rockstar," Nell said and he finally looked over at her a ghost of a smile on his face.

::

Callen came out of the gym to find that the place had emptied out in the past half hour. Hetty was still in her office, Nell sitting there as well. _Great_, even in his thoughts his voice was bitter. Gibbs's rule about dating a co-worker made sharp sense seeing the glare Nell was shooting his way.

Hetty beckoned him with a single finger and he sighed, there was no way he could avoid it. He walked over dropping his bag of gym clothes on the ground. He didn't sit, he stood leaning against one of the wooden posts. He stayed silent, waiting for her damning words.

"You were out of line today, Mr Callen," Hetty said looking at him over the rim of her glasses.

"Eric was out of line today, Hetty," Callen responded. "But everyone seems to be fond of ignoring that fact."

"He's dealing with his grief, Callen," Nell said standing from her chair and shooting him a dirty look.

"Back to the last name, cute," he said taking a few steps forward and looking down at her. Despite how easily his retort had rolled off his tongue, it did hurt that she'd resorted back to using his surname. "But you're going to have to do a hell of a lot better than that."

She rolled her eyes. "You should have supported him, helped him, instead you kicked him while he was down!"

"Mr Callen," Hetty broke in. "I've been told you told him to resign."

"Not exactly in those words." Callen defended not taking his angry eyes off Nell. "I told him if he walked away then it better be to hand in his resignation, he was the one who walked away," his tone bitter. "_Again_."

"You have no such authority," Hetty said slowly. "If Mr Beale decides to continue working with us after his break, you will have to deal with this."

"How can I continue working with him?" Callen asked finally turning to look at Hetty. "He left us out there."

Hetty sighed. "Miss Jones, give us a moment please." Nell shot one more angered look at Callen before she left the office. "Please, sit," Hetty said and Callen seeing no better option dropped down heavily into the chair. "This is about your abandonment issues," Hetty said. "Isn't it."

Callen shook his head defensively. "It's about him _abandoning _the team. We needed him today Hetty. Everything could have ended so much worse for all of us, it's nothing short of a miracle that we all came home and the criminals are behind bars. He let us down... and yes, okay, yes he let me down. I expected more of him. I trusted him."

Hetty sighed deeply. "Mr Callen," she said softly.

"How am I suppose to work with him, if I can't trust him to be doing his job?" Callen asked. "Because, everyone keeps jumping down my throat about this, about not being there for him, about being insensitive, about being harsh but if Eric isn't where he's suppose to be, doing what we expect him to be doing... how can I do my job? I rely on him, we all do."

"You rely on him," Hetty said softly. "So help him, he needs it. You do it for strangers every day, why can't you do it for a friend?" Callen's lips pressed firmly together as he stood. "Mr Callen?"

"What? I'm just walking away," Callen said taking a few steps backwards with a casual shrug. "Just like he did."

"Mr Callen," Hetty called after him, but he'd turned on his heel, grabbed his go bag and went straight down the hall.

::

"Knock, knock," Nell said standing in the doorway to Nate's office.

"Hey, come in," he said looking up from his substantial paperwork. "We okay?"

"Huh?"

"We good? I just... I wasn't here today, for Eric. I should have been, but I thought I could do both... I was wrong," Nate said. "So I'm just wondering, where it is we stand."

"We're fine," Nell responded walking around his desk and leaning against it beside where he was sitting in his leather chair. "Callen just had a chat with Hetty..."

"How did that go?"

"I was sitting at Deeks's desk, good vantage point to watch... I could hear some of it... some of it I couldn't... Callen walked out... Hetty called after him but he just walked away from her," Nell said softly. "I've never seen him walk away from her before. He always shows her the utmost respect."

Nate sighed. "Callen's got major issues, Nell. Surely you know that. Abandonment is something he's dealt with his entire life. This agency and the workers here are his rock, the closest thing he's ever gotten to permanence. Eric... walking away like that will force Callen to reevaluate everyone and everything."

"Me?" She asked. "He'll reevaluate me?"

Nate shrugged. "I don't know your relationship with him. I could venture the guess that because you work here and are so close to Eric, that he might. Or maybe he thinks of you as his... whatever stage you two are at, and therefore you fall into some grey area. He has close ties with Sam, and Hetty... but even Hetty's brought up some shockers for him, that have rocked his trust. Sam doesn't always agree with him, doesn't understand him." Nate shrugged again. "If he walked away from Hetty I wonder if he's separating..."

"Separating?"

"Becoming distant, setting up barriers with people whom normally he has them down with," Nate leaned back in his chair. "You're still pissed with him."

"Not a question."

"No, it's obvious in your face, your body language, but you're asking about him which indicates that you're worried," Nate gestured to the lounge chair. "Want to talk about it?"

"No, I'm tired. I'm cranky. I want to go to sleep..." Nell crossed her arms over her chest. "But..."

"But Callen's at home."

Nell ran her hands through her hair. "I don't want to deal with him tonight."

"You're wishing you still had your apartment," Nate said quietly.

Nell hated to admit it. "Yes." She wished she had her own space, that she could shut the door on this and deal with it tomorrow. "Can I stay with you?"

Nate offered her a sad smile. "I don't think that's for the best."

"Stop being the _psychologist_ for one damn minute Nate!" Nell demanded. "Be my _friend _again and let me stay the night."

Nate stood, his towering size next to her and she had to look up at him. "You remember the last time you were this worked up and you wanted to stay the night?" She swallowed hard, her cheeks flushing pink and there was a distinct hitch in her breath.

Oh yeah. She remembered.

"If you want to work this out with Callen, than it needs to be tonight, no waiting for morning, no trying to ignore it and hope it goes away. Both Sam and Hetty have obviously had no good results from trying to deal with him, but..." Nate shrugged. "Maybe you will."

"And if I don't?" Nell asked looking up at him.

"I hear the office couch is comfortable," Nate responded.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	35. Chapter 35

Nell froze outside of the house that she and Callen resided in. It was the first time in her life she was living with someone... sure, in previous relationships she'd stay a few days, even a week at times depending on the man... but when there was a fight, or if she just wanted her own bed, her own space she had her own apartment to return to. This time, this was her residence. This was her home, and she shared it with Callen. There was a light on in the house, probably in the kitchen if the way the living room was dimly lit was any indication. She looked from the window back to the front door, her keys were in her hand and yet she'd stood there for five minutes just staring at the lock.

Something significant was about to happen. She could feel it. They might fight, they might bond. They might break up, they might become stronger. She swallowed hard fear coursing through her. She loved him, and yet she was so angry with him. How could he have spoken that way to Eric? It wasn't right.

On the drive from the office to their home, Nell tried to put her own emotions away and think about the entire situation from both sides. Logic, intelligence analysing was her job, surely she could work this out? Right? She loved both Eric and Callen- given in different ways, but love non the less, both were hurt, both were fighting and she felt torn pulled from either side. She'd given support to Eric, and had openly argued with Callen. "Good job, Jones," she muttered to herself. Everyone had disagreed with how Callen had handled the events... but on the way over she analysed, replayed the events, his words, his tones in her mind. He was hurt. He was frightened for his team, a team he did everything to protect no matter the cost.

She fought him today, fought against him for her grieving friend. Now she had the feeling she had to fight _for_ him. Surely he wouldn't be happy with the days events. He wasn't going to ignore the fact that she hadn't had his back. She still didn't agree with his methods, but she hadn't handled it as logically as she should have. She should have taken a step back, but she hadn't.

Nell put the key in the lock and turned it hearing the deadbolt slid out of place, she returned the key to the upright position and pulled it out. Holding her keys in her hand she inhaled deeply steeling herself for whatever came. Something was about to happen, and it scared her.

She opened the door slowly, nerves were getting the best of her. The entrance way was dark, the light from the moon was eradicated as she closed the door behind her. By the time Nell sensed movement it was too late, her arm was turned and she was pressed against the wall face first.

The light scent of a familiar perfume, breath caught in his throat. "Nell?" Callen's voice was rather surprised, his breath tickling the hairs on the back of Nell's neck.

"Let me go," she said and he immediately did so stepping back.

"I didn't..." Callen's voice tapered off. "I wasn't sure if you would come," he admitted quietly. "I'm sorry, you're never so quiet coming in. I didn't think it was you."

"It's fine," she said, she'd been surprised, but he had been surprisingly gently considering he'd thought it to be an intruder, he'd probably realized once he grabbed her, how small she was, somewhere subconsciously realizing it was her. She reached blindly and flicked on the lights for the entrance way and the hall. She put her keys in the orange and red swirled glass bowl from her apartment, it stood in the entrance way on an old oak stand with a single drawer that held bills, and letters. She put toed off her shoes and shrugged out of her coat hanging it on one of the pegs on the wall.

She finally risked looking over at him. He looked rather confused as he studied her. Did he really believe that she wouldn't come? She immediately felt guilt for asking Nate for a place to stay the night. What if he had said yes? What if she hadn't returned? Would it have been the end for her and Callen?

"Are you still mad at me?" she asked quietly afraid to look him in the eye, so she instead studied the bowl that held their keys.

"I was never mad at _you_," he responded, he rubbed one arm in an awkwardly self-conscious gesture. "I was..." he sighed trying to collect his thoughts. "You sided with Eric," he finally said. "Everyone seems okay with the forgive and forget method, but..." Nell looked over at Callen, he ran a hand over his short hair and it was obvious he was frustrated by the situation. "He left, Nell. He abandoned you. He left Deeks with out the information. With him not working, the rest of us were scrambling... we have Technical Operators for a reason Nell. They protect us. They keep us alive. Someone could have died today! And this is my team. This is my family, everything I have is in this team and Eric... he let us down."

Both Nell and Callen were calm, logical people. Nell, as an Intelligence Analyst was logical, to a point. Callen knew that keeping his emotions on lock down was simply the best way of going about undercover work, getting emotional, getting riled usually ended up in a major mistake. Since coming back to the house, Callen had been able to take a step back, put the simmering anger under lock and key for a minute and think clearly. He'd been an ass, that was for sure. He'd walked away from Hetty, blatant disrespect he'd never thought he'd show. He could see where he'd been wrong... and he knew at the core, Eric's abandonment had effected him more so than the rest of the team because of his 'issues with abandonment' as Hetty had so graciously put it.

"I know what it's like to be let down, to have someone walk away." He hadn't meant to say it out loud, but the words had slipped from his brain to his mouth. "It's my entire life story," he said bitterly. They stood together, his hand skimming against hers in a subconscious need to touch, kept back as if nervous to actually take hold and be denied.

She kept her eyes on his. "I'm not going anywhere," she whispered as she turned her hand and interlinked their fingers

He looked down at their connected hand and his lips twitched to a tiny smile, but it faded away quickly as his thoughts continued and he looked over at her again. "I trusted Eric just like I trust Hetty and Sam, Kensi and Deeks."

"Me?" Nell asked nervously.

He stepped in, completely closing the space between them and pushed some of her hair from her face. "You're in an entirely different category." She figured from the proximity that the category was a good one. She looked up at him, his gaze was a little glassy and she realized he'd been drinking. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. It was uncalled for." He'd been caught up in anger, so in the red zone that he had taken it out on those who he wasn't even angry at, Sam, Hetty... Nell. Though, if he wanted to admit it to himself, he was a little hurt that Nell hadn't sided with him.

"Sorry I called you an insensitive twat," Nell whispered back before biting her bottom lip. His eyebrows lowered and he studied her a moment. "It was behind your back, but said none the less... look, Eric is my partner, he's my best friend... he's in pain, and he has you jumping down his throat on this," Nell said softly. "I'm sorry that I didn't... 'side' with you on this. He needed me."

"Do you at least understand why I was angry?" Callen asked.

Nell shifted her weight to her left side. "Yeah," she said softly. "I understand the repercussions of having Eric walk out. I understand that..." she didn't want to vocalize the fear she'd had while the agents had been out, and when they'd come back she'd focussed all the fear onto Eric. "Something bad could have happened... because I couldn't do my job and all of Eric's and keep everyone informed, it was why I was brought in, in the first place. Eric's job was becoming too much work, I can both help him and do my own specialized job. Trust me, I seen today just how much Eric does, how much he's needed." She bent her head and rested it against his chest, his arms curving around to envelop her. "I was scared..." she admitted quietly. "That when I got here it would be an all out brawl. That you would still be absolutely furious. That you'd want me to leave."

He gave a little shrug, she didn't see it having her eyes closed, but she felt the movement. "I don't want to fight with you, Nell."

"I... I don't want to fight with you either, but did you have to be so hard on Eric?" She looked up at him and could feel his deep sigh.

"He needs to understand how important he is to this team Nell. Things could have ended very differently today," he said.

"He needs his family and I don't mean his blood one, this is his rock, his home too. He needs you too, G," Nell's hazel eyes locked onto his blue ones.

"Yeah," he whispered. "Well, I needed him today..." he shrugged. "Guess we'll have to see what tomorrow brings.

::

Deeks awoke to screaming. Female screaming. _**Kensi!**_

The haze of sleep instantly cleared as rolled to his side, pulled his gun out of the side drawer. He jumped out of bed in just his boxers and ran out of the bedroom, the light from the bathroom was on and Kensi stumbled out backwards. "Kensi!" He called in a panic as he swung his gun around expecting someone to be in the house.

"Why do you have your gun?" she asked, but there was no denying the fear in her voice.

"Why are you screaming?" he asked in return.

She swallowed, blushed and pointed to the bathroom.

He walked over swung his gun to the bathroom, but it was clear. "What the hell, Kens?"

She stepped behind him, one hand resting on his hip, the other pointing to the wall. A spider. A spider made the incredible, tough as nails, bad ass Kensi Blye scream. He couldn't help it, he laughed.

"This isn't funny, Marty!" Kensi's voice nearly at whining levels which made him laugh harder. "Kill it! Kill it! Oh my God, it's moving! EW!" She screamed in his ear and backed away quickly nearly tripping over Monty who'd come over to see what all the bustle was about.

"It's just a little spider Kensi," Deeks said with a smile.

"It's the size of a quarter, it's not little, now kill it!"

"I'm not going to kill the poor thing," Deeks said going to the kitchen.

"I have to pee!" Kensi exclaimed in horror.

Deeks returned with a plastic cup and some sturdy photo paper. "I'll put it back outside."

"Really?" Kensi replied sharply. "Just squish the devil!"

"Just because you're scared," Deeks said entering the bathroom and lining up the cup. "Doesn't mean I'm going to kill the poor thing. You've scared him worse than he scared you."

"What? Are you serious? You're lucky I didn't pee myself when I seen it!" Kensi replied shifting her weight back and forth trying to hold her bladder. "Hurry up!"

Deeks trapped the thing and slid the paper against the wall and under the cup right up to the spiders legs that had no choice but to walk onto the paper and then Deeks came out with the spider trapped in the clear plastic cup. "Look, he's just a lit-"

"Get that away from me. Right. Now," Kensi said sternly, her eyes flashing with anger.

Deeks, wanting to get laid sometime in the next decade decided not to press the spider issue any longer and took it to the back door, he heard the door to the bathroom slam and he laughed as he stepped out onto the dew covered grass and set the spider free.

He came back in, put the cup and the paper on the counter and locked the door as Kensi reemerged from the bathroom. She eyed him wearily. "You got rid of it... right?"

"Yeah," he replied. "Good to know you're scared of spiders."

"I'm... not scared," Kensi replied. "I just... don't like them."

"Yeah," he said putting his arm over her shoulder and leading her back to the bedroom. "If you say so."

::

**Sorry it's a little on the short side, I was sick today :(**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	36. Chapter 36

**A big thank you to everyone who has read and taken the time to leave some written love, I really appreciate each and ever review! Love and Light :)**

::

"Morning Nate," Eric said standing in the door way to the psychologist's office. Nate looked tired, dark circles under his brown eyes, the suit was fresh from the dry cleaners, but he hadn't bothered with the tie, and that in and of itself was telling.

"Good morning, Eric," Nate said cheerfully and Eric wondered just how many cups of coffee the psychologist had drank that morning. "Come on in, have a seat."

Eric let out a long breath as he came into the room and sat down in the chair instead of the lounge couch, it felt less like he was about to get 'shrinked' this way. "Why don't you have your own coffee maker up here?" Eric asked breaking the silence and doing his best to keep the conversation off himself.

"If I had a coffee machine in here I might never leave," Nate responded dryly and it struck both of the men that the comment said in humour might actually be a little too close to the truth. "You sleep last night?" He asked getting right on task.

"You don't waste time," Eric muttered.

"My job is to ensure that the mental state of the agents and support staff is in the green zone," Nate said sitting back in his chair, a pen and pad of paper in hand. "Considering yesterday's events... I'm sorry, Eric."

Eric looked up rather surprised that he was getting an apology from Nate. "Why?" Eric was honestly confused and it was written all over his face.

"My job is to ensure the mental health of this branch. You're a part of that Eric. I knew that there was something bothering you, I knew what it was and against my better judgement-"

"You had to go, you were called in by the task force-" Eric interjected.

"But I should have stayed."

"From what I hear, it's a good thing you went. I'm fine Nate... kind of fine..." he admitted finally.

"Do you still have the desire to work here?" Nate asked.

Eric was quiet for a minute fiddling with the hem of his shirt as he thought about the proper answer. "What we do here... saves lives. Everyday is a new challenge, a different mission. Sometimes we don't win, but... I'm not ready to walk away from this yet Nate. I love my job."

Nate nodded. "That's good. That you still have this to hold on to, that you still want it. It's a good sign." Nate penciled a quick note on his paper and looked back up at Eric. "Yesterday... what happened right before you walked out?"

Eric sighed. "I couldn't focus. In two days it'll be seven years since Darby went missing... and I..." He ran a hand though his styled blond hair. He'd actually bothered with it since he worked with agents who noted every little thing, picked apart every single sentence, and the last thing he needed was to give more doubt. "I couldn't focus, Nate." Eric got up and paced angrily.

Nate quickly jotted the behaviour and then kept his eyes on Eric.

"This job... it just feeds it... and the dreams don't stop, and I'm exhausted Nate, and the pills just make the nightmares more vivid and I can't wake up." Eric turned his tired eyes to his friend. "I've seen deaths on this job that I couldn't even imagine were possible. I've seen children buried alive. Countless gunshot victims. Acid victims. Drugs and knives and... and my subconscious just... it's not them, and it's her, it's Darby being buried alive, or shot, or stabbed or..." Eric flopped back down in the chair, his hands gripping the seat. "I'm not sure what is worse...those dreams, or the one where she's alive, perfectly well, smiling, and it's like... the past seven years never happened. And then I wake up. I _need_ to know what happened to her, Nate. I need to put this to rest." Eric gave a laugh that held no humour. "The ironic bit, it was my search for her, that got me noticed by NCIS."

"You walked off because you couldn't focus... your leaving... it could have had dire consequence."

"My staying could have had dire consequences Nate!" Eric said. "I... wasn't there, not really."

"The team, and I know Nell specifically was incredibly worried about you." Eric gave a eye roll. "What? You don't believe me?"

"Not really. Nell, yeah, but the rest of the team? I doubt it."

"Sam went to try and talk sense into Callen. Sam sided with you against his partner. I won't say sided, actually, there weren't really sides to this. Kensi agreed that Callen's reaction was out of bounds, as did Deeks, though he understood where Callen was coming from. You're incredibly important to this team Eric." Nate studied the younger man's body language which was suggesting that the tech didn't think so. "You know Callen, the man isn't exactly a man of stability, and yet, it's what he's grown to expect here. This place is his rock, and he trust those on his team above all else. That includes you Eric."

Eric sat thinking about the doctor's words. "You think I should apologize."

Nate shrugged. "That decision is yours. I'll just dissect it," he smiled lightly. "Thirty seven."

"Huh?" Eric looked up and tilted his head just slightly in confusion.

"Callen was moved around thirty seven orphanages and foster homes from the age of five to eighteen, he has virtually no one from his past. His family is this team. He's stubborn as a mule, he's not going to break first... but if you apologize first, it wouldn't be out of the question that he would clear the air."

"And if I don't?" Eric asked raising an eyebrow.

Nate kept his blank doctor face on. "Can you tell Kensi I want to see her?"

Eric rolled his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"If you need me," Nate said standing. "At all, at any time... call. Okay?"

"Yeah," Eric responded. "And... thanks Nate."

::

"How's your leg Deeks?" Callen asked coming up behind the agent with a tray of coffees as agents were beginning to come in for the day.

"Bruised, but it's the coolest bruise I've ever had, so..." Deeks pulled out one of the coffees and handed it over to Callen.

"Thanks," the older agent took a sip and was content with the instant gratification of coffee.

"No problem, might want to hurry on the donuts though, Kensi has them," Deeks said with a playful smile.

"I heard that!" Kensi called from the bullpen before the two men walked in. "Morning Callen."

"Morning Kens'," Callen responded tossing his go-bag down beside his desk. "Your ribs okay?"

"Yeah, I packed them with ice last night," Kensi took a bit of her donut, let out a sound of delight and looked over at her partner. "This would have went well with espresso," she said rather innocently. Deeks, who had been drinking his coffee, pulled the mug from his mouth, tried to swallow, choked, and sputtered on his shirt, and papers. "Classy, Deeks," Kensi said with a laugh. She had wondered what the word would do to him, and was quite content with the result.

"Great," Deeks was flushed with embarrassment, or maybe just flushed at the thought that Kensi had brought to the forefront of his mind. He looked around for a napkin or something to clean the mess up with.

"I thought we had him office trained," Sam chimed in as he put his bag down on his desk and shook his head.

Kensi brought Deeks over some napkins and mentioned the red and white checkered shirt was kind of 'ugly' anyways.

Sam looked over at his partner who was eyeing him wearily. Sam, having known Callen a long time knew damn well the other man wasn't about to budge. "We good?"

"Yeah," Callen said. "We're good."

"We got a case yet?"

Everyone of the agents looked up to the balcony, it was as if whenever mentioned they'd get the whistle... but Eric was off for the next seven days. Each of the agents wondered if another technical operator would sub in for Eric. It wouldn't be the same. Apprehension lingered in the air around the agents.

"Not yet..." Callen said eyeing the balcony wearily.

"Kensi?" Eric stood at the entrance behind Kensi's desk. "Nate wants to see you in his office."

"Is it quarterlies?" Callen piped up worriedly.

Eric shrugged. "He just asked to see Kens'."

Kensi sighed and left her partner to head up the stairs.

"Callen," Eric said after a second before he lost his nerve. "Can I talk to you for a minute."

Callen was quietly taking in Eric's awkward and nervous stance. "I've got several," Callen said finally following the technical operator out of the room.

"Hug it out, or yelling and screaming?" Deeks asked.

"Lets hope for the first, because I don't know what will happen to the team if it's the second," Sam said picking up his coffee and taking a donut from Kensi's desk.

::

Eric stood in the little tech corner on the same floor. Being surrounded by technology, was his domain and it gave him a bit more confidence. That and he was still in the line of sight for Deeks and Sam... so if Callen decided to kill him, he was pretty sure Deeks and Sam would break it up.

"So... how pissed are you?" Eric asked.

"Pissed," Callen responded crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the work table.

"Like on a scale from one to-"

"Eric," Callen growled.

"Ten, okay," Eric moved nervously in his space. "Look... I messed up, bad. I left and I shouldn't have and there is nothing I can do to take that back. I can't turn back time, get my focus back, break that encryption and... Deeks and Kensi... they're both injured and maybe that would have been the way it played out anyways... but maybe I could have prevented it." Eric sighed, and could feel the calculating eyes of the agent on him. "I'm sorry I walked out, G. I feel guilty as hell about it... but I can't take it back."

"Are you coming back?" Callen asked.

Eric was taken back by the question and was quiet for a few beats. "I... I'm not sure."

"I've worked with a lot of people in my day," Callen said. "You're one of the best, the very best technical operator. I trust you with my life everyday that I go out into the field. I expect you to be in that ops centre. I expect you to do... whatever it is that tech's do, because when you don't everything falls apart. I depend on you, so make sure that when you come back, you're ready for the responsibility. Don't let me down like that again."

There was no hugging it out, Callen just turned and walked away leaving Eric feeling cold for a second. And then he replayed it in his mind_. 'I depend on you, so make sure that __**when **__you come back, you're ready for the responsibility.'_ Callen showed subconscious faith in him with his word choices. When he came back. Eric smiled just a little. Even when he wasn't sure in himself, his team was.

::

Callen ducked and quickly dodged back as he sparred with Sam. "You guys didn't hug." Sam commented.

"You were watching?" Callen panted as he dodged again, but a second punch got him in the kidneys. He tucked and rolled out of the way before a third was thrown and quickly got back to his feet and they circled each other.

"Making sure you didn't kill him," Sam replied, Callen got him into an arm bar and it took a bit, but he managed to break it, they went back to circling. "You guys good?"

"I guess," Callen responded. "I...never mind," Callen, distracted received a punch to the torso followed by a second before he managed some distance. "We're sparing remember, it doesn't mean you should beat the hell out of me."

"I'm pulling my punches," Sam said with a smile. "You're distracted."

"I'm fine with Eric," Callen said putting both his hands up and turning away as he went to get a drink of water, Sam following his lead. "But I don't know if I can trust him in the field. We put a lot of faith into him..." Callen took a sip of water and contemplated what it meant for his team.

::

"How are you and Deeks getting along?" Nate asked with a knowing smile.

"Good," Kensi replied.

"You know one word answers don't really work here," Nate said tapping his pen on the pad of paper.

"We work really well together." Kensi leaned back in the lounge couch, it was rather comfortable. "We know each other well, we get along, we know each other's moves and it helps us to watch each other's back."

"And your other team members?"

"Are good."

"Kensi," Nate lowered his head and looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.

Kensi let out a sound of annoyance. "Sam and Callen are still as great of agent as ever. I trust them with my life. I get along with both of them incredibly well, they're... like big brothers I never had. I've really bonded with Nell. She's fantastic, quirky... it's nice to have another girl to talk to... I've been talking to Sierra, we had a girls night, ate chocolate, watched the Titanic... talked about some stuff that should have been brought up a long time ago... Deeks was the one who suggested I jump in an invite her out for drinks like we use to. We're getting our friendship back. And... Eric... I'm worried about him Nate." She looked over and couldn't help but think Nate's eyes looked older than the rest of him, she had to wonder who did the psychiatrist talk to? "You think he's going to be okay?"

"This is about you, Kensi."

"And I'm worried about a friend, Nate."

"He's... he's been dealing with this for a long time. It's taken it's emotional toll... this job with all of it's stresses and horrors doesn't help," Nate finally said. "He'll need you. All of you."

"I've never talked to Eric about his family," Kensi admitted sounding sad. "Is he close with his parents? Does he have other siblings?"

"No and no," Nate responded with a sigh. "Like everyone else here. Team is family."

::

The day had been with out a case, and Callen suspected that Hetty was keeping them off cases until Eric was back, or had made a decision not to return. He would return, of this Callen had no questions. Eric would be back... it was a matter of what state he would be in when he returned.

"Nell," Callen came into the ops centre, it was surprisingly quiet, he smiled at Kimi as she gave a little wave on her way out with her tablet in hand leaving him alone with Nell.

She turned in her chair to face him. "Hey," she said and patted the seat beside her so he came over and dropped down into it. "You smell nice," she commented with a little grin.

"Just showered," Callen said kissing her cheek since no one was around. "I need you to bring up a file for me."

"Do we have a case?" Nell asked curiously. She was typically the first to know, her and Eric, so they could get together all the information for the team.

"No," Callen said. "I just need it."

"Do you have the clearance for this file?" Nell asked raising an eyebrow and giving him the 'warning' eye.

"Yes," Callen said with a shake of his head and a smile.

"Alright, which one?" Nell asked.

"Beale, E."

Nell's hands froze over her keyboard, her entire body tense and still for a long minute before she slowly turned her head to face him. "Excuse me?"

"As team leader, I have access to all my team members personnel files," Callen said. "I also need everything on his sister."

"What are you up to?" Nell asked studying him.

"We need Eric," Callen said. "Eric needs closure. Can you get me the files?"

Nell smiled a little sadly. "Yeah, I can get the files."

"Meet me at the car when you have them," Callen said looking around. "I got to go before Nate finds me."

Nell laughed. "You spent the entire day avoiding him, didn't you?"

"Quarterlies," Callen said as if it explained everything before he kissed the top of her head.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	37. Chapter 37

Nell awoke to an empty bed, the room was still dark and she turned over sleepily to check the clock, only two in the morning. Her hand reached out, Callen's side was cold and she frowned. She pushed down the blankets and picked up her fluffy white knee length house coat from the floor and pulled it over her pajamas tying it sleepily. Yawning, she left the room and followed the light in the house to the living room where Callen sat on the floor in a pair of grey track pants and a worn out blue t-shirt. They still hadn't gotten furniture to replace the dark sofa's Nell had gotten rid of. His laptop on, files open, papers distributed over the hardwood floors.

"You need to get some sleep," she said stepping barefoot around the papers to get closer to him.

"How much do you know?" Callen asked looking up, his eyes were a little bloodshot from the late night reading. "About Shannon's disappearance?"

"All of it I think," Nell admitted and sighed when she realized that Callen wouldn't be coming to bed at all. She sat down on the floor beside him. "I also know that she went by her middle name, something about being named after a very disliked aunt. When Eric spoke of her, he always called her Darby."

"She disappeared," Callen said. "Right off of the street."

"Eric has worked this obsessively," Nell said leaning into him, and his arm went around her waist holding her there without thought. "He never found anything."

"Yeah, but he's a tech," Callen said looking over at Nell. "I'm not." Nell's hand grazed along his jaw line and the stubble that resided there. Knowing what it was she wanted he kissed her, but it was quick, he was distracted. "I think I know where to start, Nell."

"Well you can't start at two in the morning," Nell said with a slight frown. "Come to bed, get some sleep."

"You go ahead," he said dragging another file closer, and his blue eyes immediately started scanning it. "I'll be there in a minute."

Nell studied him for a moment and shook her head. "Liar." But instead of going to bed she curled up on the floor next to him, using his thigh as a pillow. His hand absentmindedly played with her hair and feeling safe next to him, she fell asleep.

::

Kensi awoke on her couch and sat up slowly, her neck hurt from the awkward angle she'd been sleeping at. The television was still on, since she'd fallen asleep watching it. She searched the table with all of it's soda cans, beer bottles, candy wrappers, a box of twinkies, a lace bra, crumbs and a tube of toothpaste which she picked up wondering how it had made it's way there, eventually she found the remote under a candy bar wrapper and turned off the television. "I really got to clean," she muttered to herself.

Deeks's place always left her envious, his place was more high end finishes, modern... clean. Hers was a older home and had that lived in feeling, a place where you had no thought before putting your feet up on the table... and it was dirty.

She picked up the bra and walked it to the hamper in her bedroom. She went to the kitchen, looked in the fridge, and sighed, nothing that sparked her interest. She found some strawberry pop tarts in the cupboard and shoved them in the toaster before returning to her messy table with two plastic bags, one for her wrappers and garbage, the other for the recycling. Her livingroom was bearable, but needed to be vacuumed. Tomorrow... maybe.

She took the bags out the back door and put them into their respective bins before returning back inside to get her breakfast, checking the time she ate them a little quicker, choked a bit and hit herself in the chest coughing it free. Dry, she grabbed a glass from the cupboards and filled it half way with tap water taking a quick drink she left the glass with the growing pile of other dishes before she booked it to the shower. Today was another day.

::

Deeks finished his jog and stood outside of Sandune. He returned, from time to time but he'd learned from his mistake of going there everyday. The place still made his gunshot wounds flare up in phantom pain and he put his hand over the lower one rubbing it absentmindedly. Shaking his head he entered and gave a quick wave to the clerk. "Morning Frank!" He looked around the store, more vigilant, more aware of the dangers when off the job. Seeing only a woman with her baby looking at magazines he went to get a mug of coffee.

"Mr Deeks!" Frank said with a smile. "Good to see you are well."

"You too, it's going to be a scorcher," he warned the shopkeeper. "Hey, Snickers has peanut butter? When did this happen?" Deeks put the coffee down on the counter top and picked up one of the candy bars tossing it up as well. "What's the damage?"

"Two fifty," Frank responded and Deeks tossed a couple bills and some change.

"See you soon!" Deeks said heading out the door.

"Stay safe, Mr Deeks," Frank responded.

::

"Da-a-a-a-a-ad-d-d-d-d-d-y...Da-a-a-a-a-ad-d-d-d-d-d-y," Zoe was quiet as she looked at her sleeping father. She poked his face and pulled her hand back as his had came to his face and then fell. Zoe looked to Zachary and then back to their father. "Da-a-a-addy!" She whined poking his face again. Sam grabbed the blankets in his sleep and pulled them over his head. Zoe laughed. "Silly, Daddy."

Sam's phone buzzed as it vibrated against the night stand again. The two children looked to each other and then to the phone. "Maybe we should answer it," Zoe said.

"It's Dad's," Zachary replied. "We should just wake him up." As if to emphasise his point Zachary climbed on the bed and started jumping on it. "WAKE UP DAD!"

Zoe took a different approach picking up the phone and pressing the green button. "Hi this is Daddy's phone, Zoe speaking," she said quite happily.

"That's Dad's!" Zachary scolded loudly. "Put it back!"

'_Why hello Zoe, would you mind putting your father on the phone?' _

"Is this Miss Hetty?" Zoe asked as she walked to the mirror in the bedroom and adjusted the bow in her hair.

'_Yes, and I need to talk to your father.'_

"Daddy's a sleepy head," Zoe said as Sam suddenly jolted up, grabbed Zachary and the boy let out a laugh as he got tickled. "Daddy's up. DADDY! Miss Hetty wants to talk to you," she climbed up on the bed and Sam let go of Zachary to answer the phone.

"Good morning Hetty," Sam said.

'_Sorry to call you in early, Sam, but... well... you should get in here.'_

"Something wrong?" Sam asked getting worried, and then speaking away from the phone he said. "Zachary, stop trying to put your sister in a headlock!"

'_Not...wrong...just, come in Sam.' _

"Mitch is gone, I got to wait til my mother gets here to watch the kids, she should be here in about fifteen minutes."

'_That will do, Sam.' _

::

_So much blood._

Eric jolted awake and looked around the room wildly, panting as he came to grips with the fact that it had all been a dream, he was in his apartment, the sun was coming up and filtering through the dusty white shades. Despite sweating, he felt cold and kicked off the blankets as he went to the bathroom turning on the water in the shower before stripping off his boxers and stepping in under the hot water.

The dream had been so vivid. Their last day together had been a fairly normal one. No indication that anything so life changing would happen.

"_Highlights," Darby had said while she trimmed his hair. "They'd look good on you." _

"_Not in this lifetime," Eric had responded. Darby had minored in English literature, and then gone back to school for cosmetology and was always trying to get him to be her guinea pig, he helped with he could, allowed her to style his hair when the mood struck her, but he drew the line on highlights. _

"_Come on!" She laughed, as she came to stand in front of him with the large smile on her face. She was always smiling. "You got the cheekbones for it," she pulled his glasses off his face and blew off the little hairs that clung to them. "I have a friend..." _

_Eric groaned. "I know where this is going, and no, I'm not going on a blind date with your 'friend.'" _

_Darby put the glasses on the table and picked back up the scissors as she ran her hands through his hair and clipped here and there. "She's really nice, very bright," Darby continued. "She's really quite pretty too, a little shy." _

"_Darby," Eric said in a warning tone to his sister and she put both of her hands up in defence. _

"_Come on, Eric, you're twenty three, it's time to get out there, she doesn't have to be 'Miss Right' but she could be 'Miss Right-Now!" _

_Eric sighed heavily. "You sound like Mom." _

"_Mom just wants you to stop playing your computer games. She's worried the family line ends with you." _

"_And you?" _

"_I'll be married into another family," Darby responded. "All her hopes and dreams are on your shoulders. Lets face it, I've already screwed up ever expectation that she had of me." She studied her work and pushed a strand of her own blonde hair from her face. _

"_You really like this guy... Nolan?" _

"_Darby Baker, it has a ring to it, don't you think?" _

_She had that spark in her eyes, the kind that told him she was completely and utterly in love. _

"_Yeah," Eric responded to keep his big sister happy. "Mom would freak, which basically means he's perfect." _

_Darby laughed with her entire soul. "Yeah, I guess so." She ruffled his hair in an affectionate manner and it shook loose little blond clippings. "Much better," she decided studying him, their identical blue eyes catching and they both smiled. "You going to dinner on Sunday?" _

"_Wouldn't miss it," Eric responded. "Mother would gut me, decapitate me and leave my head on a spear as warning to others." _

_Darby's nose scrunched up. "Ew. Little brother, it's that. That right there. That's why you don't have a girl friend." _

"_It might be the fact that I can hardly talk to women without making a complete fool of myself." _

"_You'll find her," Darby insisted tapping Eric's nose. "I got to go," she packed up her equipment and gave him a peck on the cheek. "See you Sunday!" _

"_Bye Darby!" He called after her. _

Which was where the conversation had ended, but in the dream he'd followed in an eery third person watching over as if disembodied. His sister swayed when she walked, always had, she garnered attention where ever she went. That day she hadn't worn anything special, blue jeans, and a grey knit sweater, green scarf overlayed with a beaded necklace of many colours, she'd taken her blonde hair out of the ponytail she'd had it tied back in as she'd worked and it swayed with the motion of her body as she walked in her thin heeled boots that clicked against the pavement.

He had wanted to call out a warning as the van pulled up beside her, but there was no sound but her screaming as she was pulled in, the van door shut but the screams only got louder, and blood flowed from the bottom of the door dripping down onto the pavement becoming a sickening pool of blood. _The human body doesn't have that much_. He knew that logically, but since when were dreams logical? The screaming got louder and louder, the blood... so much blood. And then the quiet, nothing but the steady dripping of the blood.

Eric was physically sick and the shaking in his body wouldn't stop. He wasn't sure exactly how much of this he could take.

::

"Sam," Callen had been standing outside waiting for his partner to pull in.

"Callen... what's going on, Hetty called me in early, why aren't you in OPS?"

"I was looking into Darby's disappearance, Eric's sister," Callen explained. "I think I have a place to start looking."

"You're... you're looking into this? And Hetty knows?"

"She called you in, didn't she?" Callen responded. "For right now, this stays between you and me... and Nell."

"Alright, where do we start on a seven year old cold case?"

"Where we start any other case, Sam," Callen said walking around the car. "At the beginning."

::

"Eric, slow down," Nate said softly in the phone, while outwardly he was grabbing his keys and nearly sprinting out of his office, nearly knocking over a woman with an arm full of files and two different agents as he dashed down the stairs. "I understand, Eric. Trust me, just wait okay, I'll be there soon. I'll keep the line open." The heat hit him as he left the building, he'd heard the weather was going to be absolutely brutal today, in an un-seasonal heatwave. He ran the short distance between the office and the garage/parking structure. "It's going to be okay, Eric. Just breathe."

::

"So what is this?" Sam asked as the two men got out of the car.

"This is a blind spot. Or it was then," Callen said seeing a red light camera on the nearest intersection that hadn't been there seven years ago.

"And?" Sam prodded his partner.

"And as far as the LAPD figured, this was about where she was taken. I read all the files last night. Eric was the last one to see her."

Sam studied his partner, there was an intensity that came with being close to a case, it being personal. Eric being part of his team, that made it personal to Callen. "Why are you doing this, G?" Sam had to ask.

"What do you mean?" Callen asked confused, he stopped scanning the area to look over at his partner.

"Bringing whoever took her to justice... or doing it to get Eric's head back in the game?"

"Either," Callen responded. "Both." He shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"So why are we here? We're not going to find any physical evidence after all these years," Sam said with a sigh.

"No, we aren't. Eric was the last one to see her, he lived right over there in that apartment building," Callen pointed to it on his right. "Now, Darby was meeting Nolan Baker, her long time boyfriend at a café three blocks down," Callen pointed in the direction to his left. "But she never made it. It was late afternoon-"

"How didn't anyone see something?" Sam asked perplexed. "This place is busy," he said as more people walked around them chatting. "Someone had to have seen something."

"That's the thing, the police canvassed the area, put an alert on television a plea for anyone who knew anything to come forward," Callen said pulling his shirt away from his body, the heat was getting to him and he'd much rather be inside the temperature controlled Challenger. "Not a soul. Now when I was looking at the files, Eric said that Darby left his place at three thirty. Nolan said she was suppose to meet him at quarter to five at the café."

"Doesn't take an hour and fifteen minutes to walk three blocks," Sam said.

"Exactly," Callen said. "So why did she build in that extra hour to get from Eric's to the café?"

"Meeting someone?" Sam suggested.

Callen looked around. "Plenty of bistro's, most of them been around for years... good place to have a drink with a friend."

"No one is going to remember a patron from seven years ago, G."

"I know," Callen replied. "But we need to find out exactly what happened in that hour, where she went, who she spoke to. That hour is the key to finding out why and where she was taken," Callen insisted. "People don't just vanish, Sam. Somewhere, someone knows exactly what happened."

::

Nate knocked out of polite habit, but didn't wait for Eric to answer. Instead he checked the door and found the apartment locked. Nate pulled out lock picks and shook his head, who would have thought the psychiatrist would need them? He worked the lock, a little slow but with precision and heard the deadbolt slid out he didn't bother putting the picks back into the pouch, instead he just opened the door and put the tools on the first flat surface he encountered.

"Eric!" Nate shouted looking around.

"Could you not wake my neighbours," Eric suggested stepping out of the bathroom wearing an old comfortable grey t-shirt and a pair of shorts. "

"Sorry," Nate responded. "You okay?"

"Yeah, sorry I called. I over-reacted."

"Don't apologise," Nate insisted. "It's what I'm here for," Nate had been incredibly worried when Eric had called in the middle of a panic attack and had to talk him down as he drove through Los Angeles traffic. "The dream was bad, I take it," Nate prodded and Eric sighed.

Eric walked barefoot into the kitchen where he got a Redbull from the fridge. "You want anything?" Eric offered but Nate shook his head and they both took a seat in the living room.

"What happened?" Nate asked softly.

Eric stared at the framed photograph of his sister and him, side by side they looked remarkably alike, both smiling identical smiles. Frowning, Eric retold the story fighting his urge to be sick at the end. "I need to know what happened, Nate. I don't think I can return to work until I do."

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Sorry it's a short one, Thursdays are kicking my butt!**

::

Callen and Sam were both looking over the files back in a work room at the office. They had walked the three block length from Eric's apartment building over to the café where Darby had been suppose to meet Nolan Baker, but nothing inspired any answers or even questions in the agents, they'd driven back to the office in near silence, the only conversation a friendly argument over radio stations.

"What was the boyfriend like?" Callen asked looking across the table to Sam.

Sam had met him when he and Kensi had gone looking for Eric the man being a long time friend of the surfer tech's. "Didn't stay long, he was high as a kite, surfboard against the wall, slang talk, he just said he hadn't seen Eric," Sam shrugged.

Callen picked his phone up off the table and called Nell to the back work room where Sam and Callen had the files spread out over the large worn out table. He waited rather impatiently, his leg jumping as he tapped his pen against a stack of paperwork until she opened the door. He immediately turned to her. "Can you run a search on Nolan Baker?"

"Yeah," Nell replied taking a seat on one of the stools around the high table. "Am I looking for anything in particular?"

"What was he doing seven years ago?" Callen asked with a raised eyebrow.

Nell tapped away and everyone was silent, Sam and Callen both still going over paper files while Nell fiddled with her tablet. "He was unemployed, but had a healthy bank account, small apartment in the arts district... most of his bank information revolves around spending money at surf shops."

"Where was the money coming from?" Sam asked, unemployed, healthy bank account? Those two didn't add up.

"His parents," Nell responded. "Every week like clock work they put money in."

"Are they still?" Callen asked.

Nell bit on her bottom lip as she worked. "Nope, they stopped... right after Darby went missing."

"I need the address for the parents," Callen said to Nell before looking over at Sam. "You remember where this Nolan lives?" Sam nodded. "Lets go."

"You don't think," Nell started and Callen froze to turn and look at her. "You don't think Nolan was involved... do you?"

"The significant other is always a good place to start," Callen replied. "At the very least we completely cross him off our list."

"Nolan and Eric are good friends," Nell said. "They really bonded after they lost Darby..."

"We got to start somewhere," Callen responded as he opened the door. "We'll bring back lunch!"

::

Kensi and Deeks had been sparing for the better part of the hour, and the were currently tied. "Lets call it quits," Deeks suggested panting. "Is the A/C broken in here?" He asked as he walked over to the thermostat, studying it for a moment. "We're in the middle of a heat wave and the A/C is off!"

"Hetty," Kensi replied simply. The ever competitive Kensi sat down with a sigh. "I don't care that we're tied," she said wiping sweat off her face with a towel. "I'm too hot."

"This is true," Deeks said with a wide beaming grin that made Kensi laugh.

Their relationship was still a push and pull, they had yet to find their grove. Deeks was still trying to think of a way to get them to really sit down talk, maybe have the chance to wine and dine her, romance might be dead to most, but he enjoyed the chase, the flowers and gifts, only seeking a smile upon her face as a reward.

"I need to shower," Kensi said pulling the sweat soaked shirt away from her body but the second she let go it plastered back to her skin. "Ew," she muttered.

"Where do you think Sam and Callen are?" Deeks wondered out loud.

"Likely avoiding Nate," Kensi replied. "Hetty's not worried, so I'm not worried... I'm not even going to care when the timer on the shower runs out, cold water would be nice right about now."

::

Nate had prescribed a different sleeping pill that he hoped would lessen the nightmares, along with an anti-anxiety medication, one that had worked well for Eric in the past. "You okay?" Nate asked one last time.

"Yeah," Eric responded. "I'll just get these prescriptions filled, maybe hit the waves in Malibu- don't worry dude," Eric said noting the look of worry in Nate's brown eyes. "They're suppose to be calm today, and it would be a nice way to break the heat."

"Call me if you need anything, Eric," Nate insisted.

"I will," Eric promised.

Nate left and Eric locked up. He looked down at the prescriptions in his hand, well... they certainly couldn't make anything worse, right? He fell back onto the couch and let out a groan when his phone started ringing. He looked at it. His mother. Again. "Crap," he muttered as he stared at it. How long could he avoid his own mother? _Just a bit longer_, he decided.

::

Nell was getting into the investigation. Looking into every bit of data on Darby's disappearance. This was how she could help Eric. She bit down on her lip as she worked. The details were sketchy, and the case lacked information.

The LAPD had given up, after so long with out a lead, more disappearances, homicides, robberies all piling up, eventually even the most dedicated of detectives would have to move on. Nell knew in her short time with NCIS that sometimes... you lost sight of a criminal, you lost, got played, and they vanished into the wind and sometimes no matter how dedicated you are, you simply can't find them again.

"Miss Jones."

Nell jumped in her seat and put her hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Hetty! You scared me."

"My apologies," Hetty replied. "Have you found anything?"

"Nothing promising. G and Sam have gone to speak with Mr and Mrs Baker, probably drop in on Nolan as well," Nell replied putting her tablet down on the table. "I don't think he'll come back with out answers... Eric I mean... he needs to put this to rest."

"I agree," Hetty responded nodding her head with a grim expression upon her face. "This job does not help. Everything we see, everything we do..."

"I'm suppose to be good at finding information," Nell said. "But a seven year old information is hard to find. The details on the police reports are vague, no one saw anything..." Nell pushed a stray strand of hair back into place. "No cameras to tap into... bank information is completely normal, credit cards- same story, well with in norm. The only thing I know now that I didn't when I started is that Darby had an addiction to Banana Strawberry Smoothies, she used her credit card to buy them on a daily basis." Nell frowned looking at her tablet.

"At what time?" Hetty asked.

"Fo-ooooh I'm such an idiot," Nell seriously felt like smacking herself in the face. She'd been staring at it this entire time. "Four o'clock, near daily... but the day she disappeared, no credit card charge."

"Maybe she was on her way to the..." Hetty looked at the tablet and smiled. "Super Smoothie Shack... I can appreciate the alliteration."

"So who was she meeting there?" Nell wondered out loud.

"And why," Hetty added.

::

Kensi fresh from the shower found Nell heading back to the Ops Centre. "Hey Nell... what are you so flushed for?" Kensi then got a wicked grin upon her face as she leaned in so only the other woman would hear. "Is it: Mr Callen in the Filing Room, with the-" Nell's eyes widened and she covered Kensi's mouth with her hand before the woman could say... whatever it was she was going to say. Nell could tell by the mischievous grin on Kensi's face that it was going to be bad.

"No," Nell said sternly giving Kensi the look of death, which the agent brushed off with a smile. "I found something that I had been looking for."

Kensi narrowed her eyes. "Which is?" Nell bit down on her bottom lip and Kensi looked at the files tucked under the analysts arm. "Beale... S?" Kensi was quiet a second putting the pieces together. "That's where Sam and Callen have disappeared to. You're looking into Eric's sister's disappearance."

"Shh!" Nell looked around. "It's kind of... under the radar."

"I'm an undercover agent, Nell. I can do under the radar," Kensi walked up the stairs a step behind the analyst and they didn't speak until the doors to the Ops Centre slid open and they both sat down at the work terminals.

"So, do you guys have anything?" Kensi asked quietly.

"Sam and Callen are checking in with Darby's boyfriend, and his parents."

"Significant other is always a good place to start," Kensi said.

"G said the same thing," Nell replied. "I just found something... it might be nothing though."

"Well, what is it?" Kensi asked.

"She went to the Super Smoothie Shack nearly every day at four o'clock."

"Did she meet someone there?"

Nell shrugged sadly. "I don't know."

"It's a chain, right?" Kensi said a look of contemplation upon her face. "Was it the same one every time?"

"Yep," Nell tapped on her keyboard and the GPS co-ordinates were beeping on Kensi's phone.

"Was this the closest one to her residence?" Kensi inquired.

"No, there were two others that were closer," Nell replied looking over at Kensi. "This was the closest one to Eric's apartment. This might be nothing, but it might explain why she left Eric's at three thirty but wasn't to meet Nolan at the Café until quarter to five."

"Did she walk or drive?" Kensi asked studying the map on her phone.

"She didn't own a car," Nell replied. "Either walked it or took a taxi, there is no credit information, so if she took a taxi she paid in cash."

"Get me a list of employees, and a picture of her, if she was in there everyday someone has to recognize her, they might be able to tell us if she met someone there," Kensi said standing. "I'll brief Deeks."

"Tell him to keep it on the down low," Nell said with a sigh.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**

**Love and Light**


	39. Chapter 39

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, I really appreciate them! Love and Light!**

::

Surfing at Malibu had been the perfect way to break the heat, to distract him. Eric sat in the sand, completely exhausted after a few hours of solid surfing time. The waves had been pretty constant, but the ocean was pretty gentle which was a nice break because the sun was not so kind. Eric's wetsuit dried up pretty quickly in the heat, his hair's natural curl creating little ringlets and waves in his hair as it dried under the sun.

"Long time no see, man," Nolan dropped his surfboard onto the sand and dropped down next to him.

Nolan had been a really good friend after Darby had gone missing. Sure the first little while had been rough on both of them, and to distract themselves and each other from their initial worry, then their frustrations with the police's lack of anything that might tell them what happened, and then finally the overwhelming loss after a year with out contact, they surfed. The beaches had become a haven, music around a fire pit. The ocean catching them every single time they fell. Eric sometimes wondered what he would have done without Nolan, without surfing.

"How's it going?" Eric asked.

Nolan gave a shrug, there were dark circles under his eyes and it was obvious that Eric wasn't the only one who couldn't ignore the significance of the week. "After so long... you think it would get easier," he said quietly.

They sat in silence. Eric wished it was so, but the fact was the longer Darby was away the more violent the nightmares got. If he knew what happened, if he knew where she had been taken, how she had died, if there was a positive id on a body, if they could just bury her. He figured that was pretty morbid, because he didn't even know if she was dead. Maybe she was living in Mexico... he shook his head, she'd never just leave, besides, she couldn't leave and not leave a trail. The thing was, he didn't know, there was no proof either way, and with out a body he could hope that somewhere, somehow she was still alive. Then again, he'd helped shut down human trafficking rings, and figured it was likely better to be dead than go through what those women went through.

Eric laid back in the sand trying to clear his head, shutting his eyes against the sun. His thoughts kept going around and around endlessly tormenting him.

"How are the waves?" Nolan asked.

"Nice," Eric responded. "Nothing spectacular if that's what you're looking for."

"She and I spent so much time here, on the beach," Nolan whispered. "Sometimes... I see a blonde, same hair cut, same height and for a second... my heart skips a beat and I think it's her... but the woman will turn around and it's just... not."

Eric knew the feeling and sat up running a hand through his hair riding the back of his scalp of sand. "I feel her loss everyday, but it gets to be May and... then it's down to the week... soon enough it'll be down to the day and the loss is just... sharper."

The two of them sat quietly for a long moment surveying the waves, listening to the sounds of the beach, the people talking, the sounds of children laughing, music playing, the waves crashing.

"You going another round?" Nolan asked getting back to his feet and retrieving his board.

"Na," Eric replied getting up too. "I'm done. See you around."

Nolan gave a wave as he headed back toward the waves and Eric started back toward his VW microbus he still had to get to the pharmacy before it closed.

::

"Biscuit?" Callen suggested.

"That really only works with Kensi," Sam responded with a laugh.

"I don't know, maybe Miss Baker would be interested in helping me find a little Yorkie."

"And you think then she'll open up?"

"Better than dropping in on her gardening, telling her I'm a federal agent and suspect that either she, her husband, or her son had something to do with the disappearance of Shannon Darby Beale."

Sam shrugged. "Biscuit it is," Sam replied.

He watched Callen shut his eyes for a minute and then the other man got out of the car and a look of panic was instantly on Callen's face as he looked around. "Biscuit!" Callen called out as he looked around and then crossed the street to where the Baker's residence stood in the middle of a large lawn. "Biscuit! Here boy!" Callen waved to Mrs Baker who was gardening and she looked over at him. "Ma'am, have you seen a little dog come through here? He's a light brown, tiny little Yorkshire Terrier, his name is Biscuit."

"I'm sorry," Mrs Baker had a slightly southern accent as she spoke, she adjusted her wide brimmed hat and whipped her hands on a sunflower patterned apron that covered capri jeans and a t-shirt. "I'm afraid I haven't."

"Oh my God," Sam heard Callen through the comm device and was doing his best to keep from laughing as he watched from binoculars from across the street. Callen looked about ready to hyperventilate, the man was good.

Callen ran his hands over his head. "My wife is going to kill me!" Callen points to his bare left hand, ring finger. "Lost my wedding ring two days ago, now I've lost the family pet." Hands on his knees Callen gulped in air as Sam laughed in his ear.

"Oh now, dear," Mrs Baker said standing. "I'll help you find him, Biscuit is his name right?"

"Really? Oh thank you so much!" Callen said looking over at her with a slight smile as he 'got his wind back.' "My daughter, she's six- loves this dog more than her Barbie collection. You have kids?" he asked as they looked around the yard, occasionally calling out for 'Biscuit.'

"I have a son," she replied. "Thirty two."

"Oh yeah, what does he do?"

She sighed and made the sign of a cross. "Surfs. He does the odd job," she shook her head. "He lost someone he loved deeply, never quite the same after that. Then again, he didn't work before, but he had ambition, he loved to write. That was how he and Darby met you know... the one he lost... she minored in English Literature, they were in the same class."

"Was it a long time ago?"

"Almost seven years, and I tell you that girl was something special," Mrs Baker reminisced as she looked under a flowering plant. "So much life... so sad to see it disappear."

"I'm sorry," Callen said.

"Me too," she replied quietly. "You know, I met that woman's mother once," Mrs Baker said. "I can't believe someone so wonderful and filled with happiness could come from that bitter hag." Callen's eyebrows jumped in surprise and Mrs Baker must have noticed because she laughed. "That woman was needy. Wanted. Wasteful." Mrs Baker shook her head. "I suspect she only got worse after Darby went missing."

"Missing... did they find her?"

"No," Mrs Baker said sadly. "I think that's what has been hardest on my son... that there was no closure... Biscuit!"

Callen called out for the dog once more too, hands on his hips surveying the lawn for a moment. "Did you ever suspect something... anything that might relate to her disappearance?"

"What are you? Some kind of detective?" Mrs Baker asked jokingly with a laugh.

"Guess I watch too many episodes of, 'The First Forty Eight,'" Callen said laughing with her.

"I suspected that the mother had something to do with it. Darby would fight with her on the phone sometimes. The one time I met Mrs Beale, she and Darby fought... the son... oh what's his name, he goes surfing with Nolan... Oh Eric, that's his name, Eric tried to break it up but Mrs Beale just dug into him then which only made Darby angrier. Those are two siblings that looked out for each other. I thought they might be twins the way they look alike, not the case, Darby was two, maybe three years older. Good looking kids, smart ones too... bad luck with the parents."

Callen nodded, and wondered just what kind of twisted mess he'd gotten himself in to.

"I found him!" Sam called. "Wrangled him into the car!"

Callen let out a sigh, and a nervous laugh. "Thank you so much for helping me," he said to her.

"Glad you found Biscuit," Mrs Baker responded with a warm smile. "Have a nice day now."

::

"Nell," Nate smiled as he came into the room she was working in. Files were spread over the area and she sat on a stool, her tablet in front of her. She looked over her shoulder at him and sighed. "I've been getting that look and that sigh all day," Nate said. "I'm starting to take offence," he joked.

She smiled. "I understand the agents apprehension about quarterlies. Sometimes you just don't want to talk about things..."

"Well, it's not just agents," Nate said. "Support staff, yourself included are required to pass the psychological evaluation... so here, or upstairs?"

"I can keep working here," Nell said motioning him to sit.

"Upstairs then," Nate replied with a hint of a smile.

She sighed, put the table to sleep and lowered herself off the stool before following him. "I'm fine, really, but I need to work."

"You need to pass quarterlies so you're allowed to work," Nate replied as they walked up the stairs together. He stayed quiet until they were in his office and the door was shut. "Anything you feel like talking about, anything bothering you?"

Nell looked to the couch, looked at the chair and tried to decide which was best, she took the chair. "Other than Eric's sisters disappearance, we're working on finding out what happened... we haven't told Eric... he needs answers."

"Why haven't you told him?" Nate asked raising an eyebrow in question.

"What if we look, but don't find anything?" Nell replied, her elbow on the armrest and her head in her hand. "There is no point in giving him false hope."

"What do you think about Eric walking out?"

Nell took a deep breath, it was quite the question. "I think..." she bit her lip trying to decide on how to answer. "It was strange... he just... left." Nell fussed with the end of her blouse. "All the responsibility fell to me," she caught Nate's eyes and his were completely focussed on her. "Had something have happened... it would have been my fault."

"Nell," Nate soothed in a calm voice. "It wouldn't have been your fault."

"Communication fell apart Nate," she whispered. "Information wasn't getting to who and when they needed it, I couldn't keep up!"

"That is why you were brought in," Nate said. "To lessen Eric's work load because the job had become far too much work. The job is suppose to be done by two. You're a part of a team, Nell. Everyone came home safe, the criminals ended up captured, and that's because this team is the best. I should have ensured that Eric was working at full capacity," Nate said. "I should have had him pulled when I seen how distracted he was, or pulled him aside, or insisted to Hetty that he needed time off, but I didn't. That responsibility falls on me Nell, not you."

Nell sighed as she looked into Nate's honest brown eyes, they were a favourite feature on him of hers. She rested both elbows on his desk and rested her head in her hands. "So do I pass?"

"We're not done yet," Nate said shooting her a smile.

"Hit me with your worst," Nell replied. "I need to get back to work."

"Bosnia," Nate replied and studied the horrified expression on Nell's face. It had been instantaneous, the word slipped from his mouth and her eyes widened, her jaw went slack, a shiver ran down her spine and she physically shook for a second.

"Oh," Nell said deflated as she leaned back into the chair and slouched.

"You need to talk about it."

"I've practically forgotten about it," Nell said, the lie sliding off her tongue.

"No you haven't," Nate said softly. "A lot happened, between the echos of the original case and you having to end another's life in self defence."

Tears welled in her eyes despite every fibre of her being willing herself not to cry. "I'm fine," she insisted gripping the tablet in her lap. "I need to get back to work."

"I can't let you work until we finish," Nate responded.

"And what happened to you? When you were in the Sudan? Or Kandahar? How about when you were working here in LA on the task force?" Nell shot back.

"How did you..."

"How long have we been friends, Nate?" Nell responded crossing her arms over her chest. "Of course I looked into where you went, and when I could manage, what you were doing."

"That's a complete breach-"

"Nathaniel!" Nell cut him off. "You look like hell. Whenever you think no one is looking... you look so sad, Nate." She reached out and grabbed his hand. "I'm okay, Bosnia sucked, but Kensi is still one of my best friends. I _love_ G, and he's there every time I wake up from a nightmare I have about shooting that man or any other one my subconscious decides to conjure. Deeks is okay, he made it through Bosnia, and Sam, and we all came home. I'm okay to keep doing this job Nate... are you?"

Nate was frozen in place, her warm hand over his. First Eric, then Sam and now Nell, could everyone see the horrors playing upon his face? He wasn't an agent, but he thought at least he had his own mind under control, he was, after all, a psychologist.

"Nell," Callen barged in without knocking, phone in hand. Whatever he had been about to say died on his tongue. Both Nell and Nate were sitting, leaning into each other, her hands over his.

"Ty told me you had come up here," he said his mind switching back on as Nell quickly jolted away from Nate. "I have something... ah, for you to look in to," he studied them again, both looking a little to guilty, and moments earlier, a little too cozy for his comfort.

Nell looked to Nate. "Do I pass?"

"Yeah, Callen, why I have you here-"

"Really busy, working a case, later," Callen responded turning on his heel and walking away quickly.

::

Kensi and Deeks stepped out of the SRX at the Super Smoothie Shack. "You think if we figure this out, Eric will really be okay?" Deeks asked as they took a minute to go over the information on the case on Kensi's phone. Deeks invaded her personal space and she leaned into him a little both were roasting under the heat of the sun, but she relished the physical contact. Things between them had constantly been touch and go. There was no time for deep talks, slow love making or dinner, hell most nights there wasn't time for pizza, beer and Top Model. Maybe when they finished this thing with Eric... she looked over at him and realized he wasn't reading the information, he was staring at her. Caught, he smiled winningly at her, she couldn't help but smile back.

"I hope so," she finally answered. "I hate seeing him this way. We help so many people, I just... I hope that right now, where it counts, we can help Eric."

Deeks nodded in agreement. "List of employees?"

"There is only one that still works here, and worked two years that Darby was a repeat customer. Maybe this guy seen her with someone..." Kensi pulled up the picture on the phone and showed it to Deeks. "Meet Gerald Williams... actually, as of a year ago, it's now Gerry Williams," she switched the picture and Deeks's eyebrows shot up. "He became she, Gerald to Gerry."

"Well... lets talk to Gerry to see if Gerald seen anything seven years ago," Deeks replied as they crossed the parking lot.

::

**Thank you for reading :)**


	40. Chapter 40

Gerry, formerly known as Gerald stood six three, lithe figure, fantastic smile, a brunette bob and lit up green eyes. "Welcome to the Super Smoothie Shack," she said with a wide smile, she looked Deeks over and gave him a wink causing Kensi to bite down on her tongue to keep from laughing. "How can _I_ help _you_," she paid no mind to Kensi and her eyes had gotten stuck on the zipper of Deeks's light wash blue jeans.

"Acai berry?" Deeks replied looking at the menu. His discomfort was obvious to Kensi. "Is it any good?"

"The best," Gerry responded. "High in antioxidants, great boost for the metabolism." Her eyes ran over him again. "Not that you need it."

Kensi could only take so much of Gerry flirting with Deeks and she stepped up to the counter blocking Gerry's view. "NCIS," Kensi said pulling her shirt up slightly showing the badge clipped onto her jeans. "I really need to ask you a few questions."

"Oh gosh!" Gerry said eyes lighting up with excitement. "Really? Me? About what? Oh this is so thrilling, is he your partner?"

"Yes," Kensi replied but before she could get into questioning Gerry continued talking.

"Oh wow! Just wow! Really NCIS agents. I'm writing a book you know," Gerry talked with her hands, silver bangles on her wrists jingling together with the movement. "Spies, and conspiracies, and sexy secret agents, partners that blur the lines between their professional and personal lives-"

"I really need you to look at this," Kensi cut the woman off before she could continue and Gerry nodded eagerly. Kensi pulled up a photo of Darby on her phone and turned it to Gerry. "This is-"

"Darbs," Gerry sighed and took the phone gently from Kensi's hand, the exuberant woman became solemn. "Did you find her?" she asked looking up at Kensi from under thick fake lashes.

"We're looking," Kensi responded.

"Why NCIS? Why now?" Gerry asked handing the phone back with tears in her eyes.

"We're friends with her brother. He needs answers," Kensi replied as honestly as possible. "Seven years ago she was a regular here. Did she meet someone here? Did she go somewhere afterwards?"

Gerry sighed and wiped a tear as it started to fall. "Darbs was the best you know," Gerry began. "So lively, and at that time... well... it wasn't the greatest for me. She came in everyday, got the Orange Mango Smootie," a faint smile twitched at Gerry's lips, her eyes glazed with the echos of memories. "So friendly, could talk to anyone, anytime, make the grouchiest of servers her smile. She sure was something." Gerry rubbed her chin in thought. "She never came in with anyone," Gerry pushed back some of her hair. "But during those last few months she started meeting someone here."

"Romantic?" Deeks asked.

Gerry shook her head. "She wouldn't order when she came to meet him, she'd just go to the corner booth," Gerry pointed to it over to the darkest corner that lacked the natural light of the windows in the rest of the space. "They would talk, Darby would look agitated, the man always looked so calm..." Gerry bit on her lip as she thought back through the years. "I once saw her slide something over to him."

"Did you see what it was?" Kensi asked.

Gerry shook her head. "Sorry, I wish I could be more help," Gerry wiped away another tear. "She was so beautiful, you know. Inside and out."

"Did she ever leave with that man?" Deeks asked his eyes flicking between his partner and Gerry.

"No, never," Gerry responded. "She always tried to put on a smile, order something after she was done talking to him, but it wasn't the same. I tried to get her to talk to me... but she wouldn't, said it was 'too dangerous.'"

Kensi and Deeks exchanged a look and then returned their gazes to Gerry. "Too dangerous?" Kensi pried hoping there was more.

Gerry shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what she was involved in, but shortly after that she went missing."

"Did you go to the police about this information?" Deeks asked, wondering if this lead had been worked by any contacts he had in the LAPD.

Gerry let out a sigh and bit down on her bottom lip before shaking her head. "I didn't tell anyone. No one asked..." Gerry shrugged her voice saddened. "I wasn't exactly fond of the police then... there were a few that weren't so... _comfortable, _with my lifestyle choices. I still have scars from when I got jumped one night... the cops just... looked the other way."

Kensi could hear Deeks's teeth grinding together and she purposely touched the back of his hand with hers, the subtle contact had him looking over and releasing the tension in his body.

Deeks had always honoured the badge, dirty cops, or those 'help those I want' kind of cops always left him burning with anger.

"I'm sorry," Kensi said, her hand grabbing the other woman's and giving it a comforting squeeze. "We're going to do everything we can to find the man who took Darby... any chance this place kept the surveillance tapes?"

"They're on a month loop," Gerry replied shaking her head. "Any footage is long gone."

"Do you remember what the man looked like?" Deeks asked.

"It was a really long time ago, but I kept watch since Darby was so tense every time she came to see him," Gerry responded. "He had brown hair, white, five eight-ish," Gerry sighed. "That's half the guys in L.A... stocky build... he wore black clothing..." Gerry shrugged. "I can't remember the details, I keep trying to think of what he looked like but... I could probably walk right by him on the street and not recognized him."

Kensi let out a little sigh and thanked Gerry for her time.

"Can I get to Acai Berry Smoothies to go?" Deeks asked with a smile and Gerry wiped away the last of her tears and gave him a little smile.

::

"G!" Nell tried to keep up with his long strides but he had a determined 'I've got to get somewhere in a hurry' gait going and wasn't slowing in the least. "G!" She called again irritated that he was ignoring her. He stopped suddenly and she nearly plowed into him. "What do you need? And why are you running away from me."

"I'm not, and..." he looked around grabbed her arm and pulled her into a work room. The room was storage and had boxes, desk supplies and computer parts. "What I need you to look into is... Eric's mother."

"What!" Nell's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"I was talking to Nolan's mother, she said that Mrs Beale and Darby use to get into some vicious fights, and if she knew about it, I'm pretty sure they had to be fighting over something big."

Nell sighed. "I hope she doesn't have anything to do with this."

"We just follow the evidence, Nell. Right now the only lead we have is Eric's mother. Look her up."

"I need a computer," Nell replied turning but Callen grabbed her arm stopping her in her step, his chest pressed to her back and she nearly shivered at the contact.

"How do you and Nate know each other?" Callen asked.

"Are we really getting into this now?" Nell replied. "We have to find out what happened to Darby."

Callen's hand slid from her arm. "I'm not letting this go," he said. "But the job does come first."

She turned to face him and her hand touched his face, the few days worth of facial hair rubbed against her palm. "I'll tell you everything," she said softly. "But first we find Darby."

::

Sam tapped on the door a few times standing in the open doorway to Nate's office. The psychologist looked up, surprise written all over his face. "Figured I'd get my quarterly out of the way while I'm not busy."

"Huh," Nate said sitting up a little straighter. "I think this is the first time I haven't had to track someone down. Take a seat, Sam."

Sam took a seat on the lounge couch, even reclined back on it. It happened to be more comfortable than he had suspected. "What's up, Nate?"

"Are you _already_ trying to flip this on me?" Nate asked with a smile. "You're usually one of my easier targets."

Sam shrugged his broad shoulders. "You look like you need to get some things off your chest."

"Yeah, well I have conversation bullets for you, and they are many."

"One for one," Sam decided. "Where were you stationed?"

Nate stared down the other man, remembering Sam coming into the firing range when he'd been practising.

_"You've always been there for me, for all of us, Nate." Sam said seriously. "If you need to talk..."_

_"Got it," Nate replied. "But you know what they say about doctors being terrible patients."_

_Sam nodded. "Well, when you change your mind, and you will... we all avoid it- until we don't."_

"I've been stationed many places, Sam."

"Now who's avoiding," Sam said with a hint of a smile.

"I'm just trying to get you use to the habit of asking specific questions, I could answer eight different ways to that one," Nate responded.

"Where were you stationed when you had to use your gun, Nate?" Sam's eyes locked on the psychologist who just sighed heavily.

"Kandahar," Nate replied slowly, and with out being prompted the he found the rest of the story slipping out. "I was tasked with gaining intelligence at a local Mosque. The Imam had overheard things in there. Awful things...he didn't wish to see people senselessly slaughtered in the name of Allah. He was helping me gain intelligence to save his people."

Sam watched as the psychologist's eyes gazed, and he knew the look. That lost, burdened, heavy look... working for a federal agency he'd seen it many times. That look where you rolled the dice, and lost. Where everything had been riding on you and you failed.

"There was a woman, and her child who had come into the Mosque for prayer... the boy couldn't have been more than five," Nate said his eyes finding compassion in Sam's. "One of the men... who had been overheard by the Imam returned. Wanted to ensure silence. Pulled out a gun..." Nate stopped and there was anger written all over his face, but there was also horror, and sadness in his eyes, Nate looked away from Sam and fidgeted running his thumbnail over the edge of a pad of paper. "I tackled the Imam down, pulled out my gun, but by then three shots had been fired." Nate realized the shaking in his hand and he pushed it down on the desk, flattening his hand and putting an end to the trembling. "I shot the man. Three shots, centre mass just like in the firing range, all the practice and I just acted on instinct... and then he was dead, Sam." Nate finally looked over at the other man who was looking back with a worried expression. "He was dead, and I had killed him... the woman... her child... both dead."

"You saved the Imam," Sam said. "Had you not been there, they'd all be dead."

"Had I not been there then maybe he'd never have come back with a gun," Nate replied.

"You stopped their plan? Right."

Nate nodded slowly. "Yeah, and I know that it should lessen this... guilt, and I've read every book on the matter, I... I prepare agents for this event and when I had to be the one to pull the trigger... I guess it should never be easy. The kid was only five, he was in a place of worship..." Nate shook his head. "This world is occasionally senseless."

"That it is," Sam agreed and the men sat in a momentary silence. "Feel better?"

"Oddly enough," Nate replied with a little smile. "Thanks Sam."

"Anytime."

::

"Nell," Kensi came into ops and sensed a cold front. She looked to Nell who was typing at her computer, and then to the table where Callen was leaning, his arms crossed over his chest and his body language was both guarded and frustrated. Kensi wondered what the heck happened between the two of them. "The woman at the Super Smoothie Shack, Gerry, she said that Darby was a regular and in the last little while before her disappearance she was meeting someone in the back booth," Kensi filled them in quickly.

"So we have a mother whom she didn't get along with, a mysterious man at the Smoothie Shack, Nolan- the boyfriend who we haven't had the chance to speak to on the matter..." Callen said mostly to himself. "You got anything on Mrs Beale yet?" he asked Nell.

"Elisabeth Beale, is now Elisabeth Michaels, but might not be for much longer, she's filed for divorce," Nell looked over details. "Spends a lot of money, her husbands money. She doesn't appear to have ever had a job. Travels frequently."

"Seven years ago," Callen prompted.

"Less spending, less travel... nothing on a criminal record... there isn't anything here, G."

"There has to be something," Kensi said. "We have to figure this out."

"And soon," Deeks said standing next to his partner. "Eric's going to be back in a few days... we can't be secretly looking into it when he's here."

::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	41. Chapter 41

"We need to speak directly to Elisabeth," Callen said clearly frustrated at the pace the cold case was going. He was use to the adrenalin surge of a case, the constant new information, new suspects. Investigating a cold case wasn't in his purview. "Maybe she knows something, maybe she's involved, maybe she doesn't have anything for us but at least after speaking to her we can cross her off- maybe she knew who Darby was meeting."

"Seems like Darby would be keeping it a secret," Deeks said. "After all, she spoke to the man in the darkest, most private corner. I doubt she'd tell anyone about him, especially her mother whom she apparently fought with."

"You think she told Eric?" Kensi asked. "Maybe she said something that he didn't realize was important."

"No," Callen said. "Eric's too smart, and too determined to find his sister, I bet he went over every conversation he'd ever had with his sister looking for anything."

"What about Nolan?" Kensi inquired. "Maybe she told him she was 'meeting an old friend' or 'has a new business associate.'"

"Nolan was questioned by police seven years ago," Nell said. "He gave a statement, nothing that indicated that he knew anything."

"Could have been lying," Kensi said with a shrug. "It's hard to say."

"Deeks?" Callen turned to the detective. "Do you think you could talk to the original investigator? Find out if he or she knew, or even suspected anything that was unable to be proven."

Deeks gave a sharp nod and turned pulling out his phone. "I'm on it!"

"Kens," Callen looked over at her. "Talk to Nolan, find out whatever you can from him."

"Will do," Kensi replied looking over at Nell. "Can you find his cell and send the location to my GPS?"

Nell nodded, Kensi leaving with her answer. The analyst started typing away at her computer locating Nolan Baker's phone. "Anything you need, G?" She asked him but her eyes stayed glued on the screen.

"Residences for both of Eric's parents," Callen said as Sam walked into OPS, Callen gave him a nod, acknowledging his partners presence. "You want the mother or the father?"

"Father," Sam decided quickly realizing what it was that Callen was talking about.

"Locations should be on your respective GPS systems by the time you get to your vehicles," Nell said and both men left the ops room.

::

Deeks met up with retired Detective Kelly-Lynn Ryden, she'd been in charge of the investigation into Darby's disappearance. He spotted her easily enough in the coffee shop, she had wild steel grey curls that fell down just past her shoulder, deep set worry lines that spoke of her profession, green eyes that kept an eye on the loud bunch near the back of the place. Deeks quickly ordered a coffee and walked over to her. "Kelly, good to see you."

She looked up at him a slight smile coming upon her face. "Good to see you're still in one piece, Kid."

He shook his head, thirty two, still being called 'Kid.' "I got to ask you something," Deeks said settling into his chair and taking a sip of his coffee.

"Ask away," Kelly responded.

"You remember a case, it was a missing persons case, name was Shannon Darby Beale," Deeks kept his blue eyes locked on the elderly woman's face.

Kelly's smile faltered and fell from her face and a deep sigh escaped her lips. "Yeah, I remember," she took a sip of her coffee and put it back down on the table fiddling with the plastic lid. "It's one of those cases that kept me up at night when I was investigating... didn't let go when I had to move on to new cases... even after retirement," she sighed. "It's hard, having cases still open, not knowing what happened to the victims... not being able to bring someone to justice."

Deeks knew the feeling, he had a few cases of his own that went south, a few men that got away, a few cases that just grew ice cold and he had to move on to the next one because there was no shortage of crime in the City of Angels.

"You reopening the case?" she asked inquisitively. "I heard you were working with some agents above our pay grade," she said with a look that told him she knew just who he was working with and a little smile of pride on her face.

"I know her brother," Deeks said softly leaning in so only she would hear. "Long time for him to go with out knowing."

Her hand clasped over his and gave it a pat of reassurance before she picked her coffee back up. "Did you read the reports?"

"Yes," Deeks replied. "All of them, we're trying to talk to everyone see what they remember. I was wondering if you had any theories, maybe ones that couldn't be proven."

Kelly nodded. "Sure, Shannon's neighbour told me that she was a woman of routine- that told me that anyone could pick her up. She told me that Shannon had grown more withdrawn in the months before her disappearance, and that told me it wasn't random." Kelly took a sip of her coffee, her eyes scanning over the area before once again landing on Deeks. "I think she was taken for a reason," Kelly said. "I just was never able to prove who or why. I do know that at her house was her check book, the last check written was for ten grand."

"Blackmail?" Deeks suggested.

"Perhaps," Kelly shrugged. "Shannon was a cosmetologist, what would she know or have done that would make someone blackmail her?"

Deeks sat back in his chair. _Good question_.

::

Sam drove up to the impressive iron gate that kept him from entering Christian Beale's property. A mansion laid beyond it and it was hard to fit Eric into the scenery. He opened the window and pressed the speaker button on the box.

"Who is this?" the person beyond the box asked.

Figuring there was no point in beating around the bush Sam replied. "NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, I need to have a word with Christian Beale."

There was a moment of silence and the gates then opened. "Drive in."

By the time Sam had come around the curve of the circular driveway a man had come to stand at the top of the steps. Sam got out of the car and as he studied the older man, he figured Eric got a lot of his father's genes. Facial structure was alike, though the eyes and lips were different, same height, build and blonde hair, though Christian kept it shorter than his son. Their fashion sense clashed, Eric known for terrible print shirts, board shorts and flip flops while his father stood regally in a full suit, crisp navy blue in colour with a lighter blue shirt and black tie. "Agent Sam Hanna, I presume," Christian said as Sam walked up the stairs.

"Christian Beale," Sam responded holding out his hand and they shook hands for a brief second.

"Come in," Christian offered opening the doors to an impressive hallway, Sam followed him through it and into a sitting room. There was a large framed photograph of Christian with both Eric and Darby, Sam studied it- Christian looked younger, lighter and more carefree, Eric had a smile on his face, and was dressed better in the image than he did for work. Darby appeared to be captured as she laughed. A happy family photograph- minus the missus.

"I presume this is about my daughter," Christian said.

"Yes," Sam replied. "We're looking into old cases."

"My daughter is dead, Mr Hanna," Christian's eyes took on a cold edge. "I lost her seven years ago."

Sam sighed. "I have a daughter of my own, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to loose her... but if I did, I'd want to know who."

"I've tried to find out," Christian said. "Many times over the years." Christian stood beside Sam and he looked at the image of himself with his children. "When the police gave up I hired a private investigator, and when he found nothing I hired another, and another, but no one could give me answers."

"Did any of the investigators ever find anything, _anything _at all?"

"Nothing," Christian replied bitterly his hand touching the glass of the frame over Darby's face, a look of longing and wistfulness upon his face. "My baby girl was taken from me, Agent Hanna. I have spent seven years looking for her, and haven't found a thing."

_Not so promising_, Sam thought, but one thing was for certain, Sam could tell just by looking at the man that he had absolutely no idea where his daughter was.

::

Kensi drove up to the beach and checked her GPS one last time. She was basically on top of the Nolan Baker's signal but didn't see him as she stepped out of the car. Figuring he must have left his phone in his car while he went surfing Kensi leaned against the side of her car and waited for him to return, there was no way she'd find him on the large, busy beach, and if she went looking she'd miss him when he returned. She quickly called Nell on her cell phone and put the phone to her ear, her eyes constantly scanning the area.

"_Hello,"_ Nell's voice finally answered.

"Can you give me the model of Nolan's vehicle and the license plate?"

"_Sure,"_ Nell replied and Kensi could hear keys clicking in the background. _"He drives a Prius. License plate: Zulu, eight, six, golf, zero, seven, Juliet." _

"Z86 G07J," Kensi repeated to herself as she scanned the lot spotting the Prius and matching the license plate. "Thanks, I got it."

Waiting was not Kensi's favourite part of the job and she nearly jumped with happiness when she spotted Nolan walking her way. He looked defeated, his head down, his wet, wild, long dark locks curled slightly around his face. He spotted her and his eyes narrowed. "Yeah?" he said when he was close enough.

She stepped away from his car. "I'm looking into the disappearance of Darby Beale," she said and she watched as the bottom of the man's surf board smacked against the tarmac like he'd been trying to jam it in the sand, his arms straight out, his head bowed.

There were a few curses that escaped his lips before he finally looked over at her. "And who the hell are you?"

"Agent Blye," she responded not wanting to give out her full name, and she stood their gauging his strong reaction. Maybe he didn't want Darby to be found?

"Look _Agent Blye_," he said her title and name like it left a foul taste in his mouth. "Darby is dead. You're looking into her _disappearance_, good luck to you. But it's been _seven years_," there was pain etched into every syllable. "I spent years hoping and praying that someone would bring her home safe and it took me years to stop, and to realize that she is _dead_, and she is _gone_ and she's _never_ coming back." Nolan's face was a mask of fury and she had no doubt in the heart wrenching emotion behind it. "I gave my statement, I talked to the police, I talked to investigators, I answered every question, and I don't know what happened, I don't know where she is or what happened to her, so for the love of God, _**leave me alone**_."

"Maybe she said something to you," Kensi pried keeping close to him, moving as he did. "Maybe she did something out of the ordinary." Kensi desperately wanted some kind of information they could use, she wanted badly to help Eric, and this seemed like the only way. Find out what the hell happened to his sister seven years ago. "Sometimes it's the smallest thing."

"She said she was going to meet me at a café we both loved," he said strapping his board into the back of his vehicle on a contraption Kensi wasn't sure was safe. "And you know what?" he looked at her with hollowed eyes. "She never made it, and I never saw her again. End. Of. Story." He grabbed his keys from the underside of the back left wheel and opened the drivers door freezing for a second. "Seven years," he said his voice low. "And somewhere inside of me I still hope you find her alive," he shook his head but she seen the tears in his eyes, he got into the car shutting the door behind him.

She hoped that Deeks got something out of the LAPD investigator, that Sam found something out from the father, or Callen from the mother because they were quickly running out of people to talk to, not to mention the fact that they were also running out of time.

::

Callen had a bad feeling. It might be the sign for foreclosure on the large lot with the beautiful house. It might have been the over watered, lush lawn, it might have been the fountain that probably cost more than his house- rich people always gave him a hard time. A dead give away was the fighting couple who were screaming at each other on the front steps as he drove up. He let out an agitated sigh, he had enough on his plate with out the Michael's fighting on the porch.

Eric's mother, Elisabeth was dressed in high end clothing, something Kensi might wear for a cover and he even recognized the pricy designer. Her hair was a strawberry blonde, and when he got out of the car she turned her icy blue eyes on him, a hardened expression upon her face. "Who are you?" She demanded.

"Elisabeth," the man, her most recent husband, and the man she was currently undergoing a divorce with if Nell's research was correct. "Lets not shout out here. We need to get packing."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Elisabeth said raising her chin defiantly. "You are signing those divorce papers."

"We should consider counciling."

"No," Elisabeth seemed to be a woman not use to not getting what she wanted. "I want that divorce!"

"Look, I just need to talk to you Mrs Michaels."

"Oh really?" She turned to him and stepped down the stairs carefully in her heals. She looked him over, her hand running down his chest and he immediately felt uncomfortable and took a step back. "Handsome devil," she said with a smirk and threw a cold look over her shoulder at her husband who then returned to the house, slamming the door. She turned back to Callen. "What can I do for you?" she asked licking her lips.

"Answer a few questions about your daughter," Callen replied.

Her eyes hardened, her jaw tightened and her lips curled into a sneer. "How dare you bring up my daughter."

"I'm re-opening her case."

"Why?" Elisabeth demanded. "She is dead," her expression changed and tears welled in her eyes and Callen knew an act when he seen one, he was a professional at it. "You leave her to rest, don't go kicking up old bones."

"I can't imagine what it's like," Callen said. "She just disappeared one day. With out a trace."

"No, you can't," Elisabeth responded her eyes narrowing at him. "Leave."

"Just gone. Your little girl. Your daughter," Callen shrugged. "Especially when you were always fighting with her. Yelling. Arguing."

She slapped him across the face, her breathing off with her anger. "I did not fight with my daughter."

"That's not what I was told. Apparently you two got into it," Callen said moving closer, his eyes studying her. "Often." She went to slap him again and he caught her wrist. "What happened to your daughter?" he demanded, his voice low but there was no denying the anger in it.

"I don't know," she growled.

"And I don't believe you," Callen responded turning her wrist and pulling cuffs from his back pocket. "I'm arresting you," he said. "Assault on a federal agent."

"What?" she squirmed. "No. You can't!"

"Yes, I can," Callen said grabbing her other arm and tightening the cuff around her wrist. "What happened to Shannon Darby Beale?" he asked her once more, tightening both of the cuffs at the same time.

"I told you I don't know!"

_But you know something,_ Callen thought as he lead her back to the car.

::

"I think we should tell Eric," Nate said as he along with Callen, Sam, Kensi, Deeks and Nell stood in the boatshed. He looked to the television where Elisabeth Beale sat in the interrogation room studying her nails.

"And tell him we've been questioning the people in his life," Kensi said raising a sceptical eyebrow.

"Looking into the disappearance of his older sister," Deeks chimed in.

"And still don't have any solid leads," Sam said.

"And that I arrested his mother," Callen crossed his arms over his chest. "Doesn't sound like the wisest thing."

"And what if he sees Nolan?" Nell asked. "Surely he would tell Eric about the investigation."

"Or if he spoke to his father," Nate agreed. "Eventually he's going to find out, it should be through us... besides, I'm also thinking he should be here... when we interrogate his mother."

"That... doesn't sound like a great idea," Nell said. "From what I've gathered, he doesn't really get a long with his mother."

"All the better," Nate said. "Eric is her son, he knows her reactions and likely knows which are fake and which are real. Not only that, but maybe if he went in, she'd say something to him that she might keep hidden from us." Nate opened a file and pulled out a piece of paper handing it over to Callen. "Phone logs, she's called Eric daily for nearly two months. He never answers."

"Sounds like she wants to say something to him," Callen said, he looked to Nell. "What do you think? Should Eric be here?"

"You're asking me?" Nell's voice going up in pitch with surprise. "Nate's the phytologist!"

"And you're his partner," Callen said. "No one spends more time with Eric than you... so?"

Nell took a moment thinking up the pros and cons before nodding. "I agree with Nate. He should be here. He needs to know what we are doing... and maybe he can help us with the investigation... I just... I don't think he needs more stress right now."

"He's going to be stressed anyways," Callen argued. "Besides, when he comes back, it's not like we're going to be tracking down low end drug dealers, he has to get use to the job again."

Nell sighed and looked to the screen hoping she hadn't made a huge error in judgement.

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	42. Chapter 42

**I feel bad for missing some updates this week, so I made the chapter extra long to kind of make up for it ;) enjoy, Love and Light!**

::

Nate had explained the situation to him, but he didn't quite believe it until he walked to the boatshed with the psychologist to see his mother sitting in interrogation on the display monitor. He looked to Nell. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Eric," she whispered her hand touching his arm but he quickly drew back. "We didn't have any leads, we were starting at ground zero, we didn't want to tell you incase we didn't find anything."

"And now you have my _mother_ in here?" Eric ran his hand over his hair. "My mother. In interrogation." He sat down in one of the wooden chairs and shook his head in disbelief. "_Why_? Why is she here?"

"She slapped me," Callen said, that had given him grounds to bring her in. He'd been quite surprised that the volatile woman in the interrogation room was laid-back Eric's mother. "And I think she knows more than she's telling."

Kensi and Deeks filled Eric in on Gerry, and the mysterious man that Darby had been meeting. Callen explained that Mrs Baker heard Darby and Elisabeth arguing on a regular basis.

"And my father? I'm assuming someone went to question him too," Eric said his eyes had an angry set behind the glasses.

"He's been looking into your sisters disappearance for years," Sam said. "Hired private investigators... but no one found anything."

"Did you question anyone else?" Eric asked angrily. These were his colleague, and yes his friends, but they'd come into a situation, a personal one, his life dumped upside down and sorted through, the people in it questioned and the invasion of privacy bothered him.

"Nolan," Kensi said. "He didn't know anything, got upset when I talked to him about it."

"Shocking," Eric replied sarcastically.

"Eric," Nate said softly. "We are trying to help."

Eric knew that, deep down when he set aside the anger he knew that his friends were indeed trying to finally put his sister to rest. He let out a heavy sigh. "Why do you think my mother had anything to do with it?" Eric turned his eyes on Callen.

"She and your sister fought," Callen replied. "Do you know why?"

Eric sighed. "Darby was going through for English literature, she minored, but Mother had wanted her to go further. Darby had decided to do cosmetology, thought it would be more fun. Mother was furious... but it wasn't just education they argued about. Mother didn't like Darby being with Nolan, said he was going no where, that he lived off his parents, that he was only with her for family money. They fought about what Darby chose to wear, how she spoke, how she acted, her friends, her love life, her education, how she chose to spend her money- or more specifically Dad's money." Eric sighed remembering all the fights between his mother and sister, the two women were completely incompatible and it was hard to believe they were family. "Choice of music, how loud she played her music, curfew, what car she drove, what television shows she watched, how long she took in the shower. Seriously, they fought about everything, and anything" Eric shook his head. "But it doesn't mean that my mother had something to do with her disappearance... it's my Mother..." he frowned. "She'd never risk her manicure on it," he muttered.

"She could have hired someone," Callen suggested.

"But why?" Eric asked. "Darby had moved out, sure she still had a sizable allowance from Dad but she rarely went home, only to visit Dad at times she knew Mother wasn't there. Mother never had to see Darby, why have someone take her?"

"Why did Elisabeth call you every day for the past few months?" Callen asked sliding Eric the sheet Nate had given him.

"Don't know," Eric responded with a deep sigh. "Never answered... it's my mother," he said as if that alone should explain it.

"Maybe you should go in and ask what the phone calls were about," Callen suggested.

"You sure that's a good idea, G?" Sam asked. "Eric, no offence, not an interrogator."

"Exactly, she won't lawyer up when he walks in," Callen said shooting a look at his partner. "More she'll be shocked, and if we're lucky, she might start talking to him." Callen looked over at the display monitor studying the woman who seemed unworried she was currently in an interrogation room. "I have to believe she was calling for a reason... her phone records only indicate three other calls in the span of as many years to your phone, Eric."

"We're not exactly close," Eric replied cooly.

"Then go, start interrogating."

::

"Eric," his name was little more than a breath off her tongue, but he heard it as he stood awkwardly in the doorway for a second before he shut the door behind him. He studied his mother, it had been almost three years since he'd actually seen her, he'd picked up the phone on occasion to her calls, but they usually ended with him not paying attention to what she was saying and a major headache.

He walked over and sat down across from her, it was strange being in the interrogation room. Stranger still that his mother sat across from him. "Mother," the word was rather cold, a title rather than the warm use of 'Mom' he'd never used it with his, it never fit.

"What are you doing here?" she asked shocked as she looked him over, he who looked so much like her first husband did at the same age.

"You called," he said. "Many times."

"You didn't answer," Elisabeth responded cooly.

Eric's lips twitched, less than a minute into the room with his mother and he remembered exactly why he didn't answer his phone. His mother was a cold woman, calculating in her every move, every look, every word and she could make you do something and make you think it was your own idea. How he and Darby ever came from her was beyond his comprehension- he liked to think they both caught mostly their father's genes. "I'm here now," he said.

"You never answer when I call you, Eric," Elisabeth's eyes welled up.

Eric sighed. _Here we go again,_ he thought and could feel the pressure of a headache coming on in his temples. "I'm busy with work."

"That's what your father always said," Elisabeth said pulling a handkerchief from her purse and dabbing her eyes. "Always working," her voice broke and the tears fell from her eyes.

"Mother," Eric had watched the agents interrogate before, not often since he was usually up in the office doing his own thing, but he occasionally had the interrogation room feed playing in the ops centre, watching for anything he could pick out and use to look up more information for the team to give them an edge. He tried to keep a cool head, he'd watched the agents do this before. Callen was a master always keeping his emotions in check and being the cool headed one in the situation always gave him an edge. "Why did you call me," he repeated. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing," Elisabeth responded. "I've changed my mind," her eyes narrowed in a glare at him. "Why are you here Eric?"

"You slapped Agent Callen," Eric said after a moment. "He thinks you're hiding something."

"Excuse me," her voice raised and an indignant tone etched into her voice and Eric just sighed knowing full well this type of behaviour was expected with his mother.

"What do you know?" Eric asked trying to keep his voice level, trying his best not to succumb to his mother's games and begin yelling too. "Do you know where she is?" Eric asked not sure if he even wanted to know the answer, because if his mother did know... he shook his head trying to clear his thoughts. "Who took her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Darby!" Eric shouted at her, and he felt like a child, less than ten minutes and his mother had him yelling. "I'm talking about Darby! Who took her? _Why?_" his voice broke under the weight of the word . "Where is she!"

"I don't know!" Elisabeth screamed back. "Shannon is gone. Get over it!"

"I _know_ you don't have a maternal bone in your body," Eric growled. " But even you, how can you say something so cold about your daughter!"

"Because she's dead, Eric, and she's not coming back!" Elisabeth cried, tears spilling over and her voice cracking. "Shannon. Is. Dead."

"How do you know that!" Eric screamed back. He knew the hope that one day his sister would be brought back alive was slim, but it was there, always in the back of his mind. His father still had it. Even if Nolan didn't want to admit it, even if he tried to ignore it, Eric knew the other man still held onto hope. His mother? Not so much. "How can you not hope to see her again?"

Elisabeth stood, her hands slamming down on the table. "Because!" She shouted and then stopped closed her mouth, shook her head. "Because the men who took her sent me this." Elisabeth took a envelope from her purse and slid it across the table to Eric.

Eric stared at it, terrified to open it, but knowing he had to. The door opened as he picked it up. Callen shut the door behind himself and stayed quiet leaning against the wall and Eric looked at him and then to the envelope and back to Callen again. The senior agent gave a shrug as if to say the decision to open it was on him.

For something so slim it felt heavy in Eric's hand, his mouth was dry and his heart felt like it would beat out of his chest. Part of him really didn't want to open it, not if it showed undeniably that his big sister was dead. The other part needed to know, and knew he had to open it. He opened the already ripped envelope and pulled out a photograph.

Even his nightmares hadn't prepared him for the image of contorted limbs, the blood, the wounds, and the fact her eyes were wide open frozen in time, her blue eyes faded to a dull grey.

Fighting the urge to be sick he sunk down in the chair and set the picture facing down on the table. "Who? _Why_?" his voice broke and Elisabeth sat back down in her chair.

"Your sister wasn't the perfect little angel you and Christian believed her to be," Elisabeth said looking away from her son. "She was going to destroy our family, dishonour it."

Eric stayed silent, the image of his dead sister stuck in the back of his mind and the nausea came in waves though he sat there, breathing through it even though his heart was racing.

"How so?" Callen asked as he came to take a seat at the table his back to the door, sitting with Elisabeth to his right, Eric to his left.

Elisabeth shot Callen a look that seemed to send the temperature in the room down few degrees. "You come to my home, you-"

"Your current husband owns it, and it's in foreclosure," Callen knew how to push people's buttons, and to see the look of horror on Elisabeth's face, it was worth it. "And you've filed for divorce... only you've already cleaned him out so I really don't know what you're going to get out of it."

"You insolence is unbecoming."

"I really don't care," Callen replied. "I want to know what happened to your daughter. Who sent you the picture, and why?" The woman stared in silence, obviously not use to being talked back to. "Doesn't Eric deserve the truth?" Callen asked his cool eyes glaring right back at hers.

She looked away from him and to her son, Eric looked up from the back of the picture still fighting the sick feeling the image had given him. "Tell me," he whispered unable to make his voice any louder.

She sighed and for a second her mask slipped, there was vulnerability, age that the makeup couldn't hide, grief and sadness that had been hidden for so long. "There was a man blackmailing Shannon," she whispered. "She told me because I already knew of her... indiscretion," she sighed, a heavy burden still resting upon her shoulders. "If it got out, it would have ruined Christian."

"What indiscretion?" Eric asked not sure if he even wanted to know.

"Shannon was a proud woman, she didn't use her allowance, she worked and put herself through school," Elisabeth responded. "Christian was proud of this, I just wondered how she could possibly be getting the money... and then I found out through some of my contacts... she was stripping." Eric paled considerably and felt lightheaded. "That kind of news could have ruined your father. I told her to stop, but she wouldn't listen. Her life, her body," the woman gave a wave of her hand as if trying to dispel the words. "But then she started being blackmailed, she came to_ me_. Wanted me to fix it." Elisabeth sighed. "There was little I could do, but I could provide her with funds. She stopped stripping, started paying off the blackmail."

"Why didn't you tell the police?" Eric asked his voice strained.

"It wouldn't have brought her back," Elisabeth whispered pushing back some of her bottled blonde hair. "It would have disgraced the family."

"Maybe someone could have found her if they had known," Eric responded angrily.

"She was dead the second she was taken," Elisabeth said shaking her head. "Those men are ruthless."

"What do they have on you?" Callen asked and Elisabeth jumped as if she'd forgotten he was even there. "You said _are_ ruthless. You've dealt with them, why?"

"They sent me the picture a couple of months ago," Elisabeth responded. "I guess they figured they could get more money... if I wanted to know where she was," Elisabeth's voice broke and for the first time her tears seemed genuine. "So I paid, we could at least bury my little girl, have a place to leave flowers," Elisabeth dabbed her face with the handkerchief again. "I paid them half of what they wanted, they'd send me her location and I'd pay the rest."

"Did they send the co-ordinance?" Callen asked.

"No," Elisabeth responded biting on a overly red lip. "They just took the money."

"What account?" Eric asked.

Elisabeth opened her purse and pulled out a card which had a number written on it in her intricate writing. Eric looked up to the camera and with out words a few seconds later Nell came in with a laptop handing it over to him. Eric quickly went into the system. "You were going to tell me," Eric said as he worked. "That's why you kept calling."

"You're a hacker," she said with a shrug. "Yes, I know," she said when he'd looked up a bit surprised. "I'm not a fool. You were a genius with computers from such a young age. I knew that with the bank information, maybe you could find..." she shrugged. "An end to this."

"Got it," Eric said as Nell hovered.

Callen came around to stand on his other side looking at the information. "Priors?"

"Yeah, blackmail, lots of it. Past decade though Alex Patchov has been clean," Eric said.

"But suspected of extortion by the LAPD," Nell said. "He's a risk to major corporations, and has been vying for political pull and I suspect he has extremist views," she shrugged when everyone in the room turned to look at her. "You do realize my job description, right?" the analyst said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Can you track him?" Callen asked Eric who was already locating the man. "Nothing registered into his name...Mother, did he contact you by phone?"

"Yes," Elisabeth pulled out her cell phone and handed it over to her son who quickly went through it and found the only number with out a name.

"Burner phone, still active," Eric responded as his hands flew over the keys. "Got him, he's in San Pedro!"

"Send it to my phone," Callen said quickly exiting the room, he shot a look at Sam who quickly followed.

::

Callen and Sam followed the GPS, Kensi and Deeks followed in a separate car as they wanted to be prepared for any eventualities. They had to see this through, they couldn't have the man slip through their fingers.

They walked through the market place where they GPS said he was, unfortunately that was still a pretty big area. "He's around here somewhere," Callen said. "Split up, Kensi, Deeks- north side, Sam and I'll take the south."

The two partnerships split up, Callen studied a pair of sunglasses but he was still looking around for Patchov.

"I got him," Kensi's voice came through the comm device. "He's talking on his phone, seems agitated. He has guards."

"Deeks? How fast can you get to Kensi?" Callen asked as he started moving at a brisk pace.

"I'm not far off," Deeks responded.

"You two, keep him distracted, if you can do something about the guards, all the better. Sam and I'll be there soon."

"One distraction coming up," Deeks said. "Sugar-bear, I'm afraid we're about to have a lovers spat, please don't kick me in the junk."

Kensi's snort was heard through the comm and it made Deeks smile for a second before he spotted her. "What kind of lovers spat?" she asked.

"Remember the yoga bunnies?" Deeks said. "It was uncalled for." The words were spoken right in her ear and she jumped, she had been so focussed on the man and his guards she hadn't been looking for Deeks.

"You cheated on me!" He shouted and it gained attention. "How could you do that? I thought you were happy!"

"You thought wrong!" Kensi responded whirling to face him. "You can't expect me to just stay home at night and watch television!"

Deeks played the heartbroken husband to perfection and the look upon his face hurt her. "I expected you to be faithful!"

"Maybe I would be if you could satisfy me!" She quickly responded, in the back of her mind she could think of all the ways he had satisfied her, all the ways that one day they'd get around to. She fought to keep focussed.

He took a few aggressive steps forward and she took them quickly back knocking into the man on the cell phone.

"Watch it," Patchov said and his guards quickly went forward to block Patchov.

"How could you do this to me, Fern?" Deeks wanted to know.

"Fern, baby girl," Callen said with a big smile and at the back of his mind Deeks was laughing, Callen stepping in and using the same words Deeks had when he'd first worked with her was too perfect. "Who's this?"

"Her fiancé!" Deeks responded giving Callen a shove.

"Fiancé! What? Fern?" Callen's big smile fell and he looked shocked. "What the hell is going on!"

"Who the hell are you?" Deeks demanded and by the second they were getting more and more attention.

"Her husband!" Callen said raising a hand showing off a golden band, he carried around, because who knew when playing the 'husband' card could come in handy.

People were stopping to stare and Sam got into position behind Patchov.

"Husband!" Deeks looked to Kensi who was looking shocked as she glanced back and forth between her two co-workers. "You're married."

Rule of undercover work, never, ever, contradict something someone in your team has said. "Yes," she said. "But..." oh what a mess the boys had gotten her into this time. "He doesn't please me, and lately," she turned her eyes from Callen to Deeks. "Neither have you."

"Guess that's where I come in," Sam said with a grin as he attached handcuffs to Patchov before the man realized what was happening. The guards sprung into action but the other three had expected it and quickly got a handle on the situation.

"Now everyone in San Pedro will think I'm a hussy," Kensi said as they walked the men back to the vehicles. Deeks chuckled and she punched him in the arm. "It's not funny."

"Please, that was nothing. You told the yoga bunnies I slept with your brother," Deeks grumbled. "Where is the love?"

::

It didn't take Callen long to get Patchov to spill everything. He had made a quiet threat that hadn't been picked up by the cameras but Kensi read his lips and it had something to do with some buddies Callen apparently had in jail that could make Patchov's life very uncomfortable.

Callen felt heavy, the co-ordinance were written on a scrap bit of paper. Despite all they had done to put Eric's mind to rest, to help him find closure... Callen couldn't help but think this would only make things worse. He walked out of interrogation and down the hall where everyone was sitting or standing around the table, excluding Elisabeth who they'd dropped back off. Eric had promised her an update, but Callen wondered if Eric would make the call.

"Here it is," Callen said handing it over to Eric.

Eric who took a deep breath and held it as he put it into the system. Desert... she was buried in the desert. His heart clenched painfully and he took a deep breath trying to rid himself of the ache in his chest. Callen's hand rested on his shoulder. "We'll see it through," Callen promised him and then the hand was gone and Callen pulled his phone out as he walked out of the building.

Nell sat down next to him, shoulder to shoulder and she looked over at him with her hazel eyes. "How are you doing, Rockstar?"

Eric's eyes went from her to the door Callen had disappeared from and then back to Nell. "I'll let you know when I figure it out."

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	43. Chapter 43

Callen had been focussed on the 'where.' Sam was now in interrogation working on the 'why.' Why had Shannon Darby Beale been murdered? Why had they buried her out in the desert? The man had already cracked under the pressure Callen had put on him, so he talked for Sam.

The answers, Sam figured, wouldn't help Eric. Sam even thought they might make it worse. Darby had stopped paying the blackmailers. She'd passed the man the last cheque in the Super Smoothie Shack and walked out. He had forced her into his van, his anger had overcome him. He hadn't meant to kill her, or so Patchov claimed, but she hadn't paid, she'd threatened to go to the police...

_Senseless_, Sam couldn't help but think,_ Shannon Darby Beale's murder was senseless. _Inside the interrogation room he could only imagine how Eric was handling the news, but Sam knew he was in good hands with Nate, Nell, Kensi, Deeks and Hetty.

::

The truth shall set you free. Eric didn't know where he'd first heard, or perhaps read that line, but it was something he'd always believed. He now knew the truth, but he wasn't sure how 'free' he was feeling. Darby was dead, the last of his hopes dashed and destroyed, and he was nearly grateful for it. His mother had kept information that could have helped the police. His father was still searching. Eric knew he'd have to break the news to both parents. He let out a sigh and Nell nudged him with her shoulder and he sent a sad, but grateful smile her way. Nate patted his shoulder, Kensi and Deeks both offered support in their own silent ways just by staying there with him. Sam was in the interrogation room working on Patchov and he knew Callen was out with NCIS crime scene techs in the middle of a desert searching for his sister's remains. His family, the real one, had shown they'd stand by his side, and he would be forever grateful.

::

It took nearly three days of NCIS CST's searching the desert until they found Darby. Callen whipped sweat from his brow and looked down into the hole the tech's had been working on.

"Female, same age, we'll use DNA to confirm, but given what we know..." one of the female technicians said looking up at him from her crouched position.

Callen nodded. "Good," his stomach rolled, it wasn't his first body but this one was personal. It was Eric's sister. "Take care of her," Callen warned the technicians as they started extraction.

"We will," the female tech responded.

::

Callen tossed his keys into the colourful glass bowl of Nell's in the entrance way. He was content with having a house that was simply a roof over his head. Nell seemed determined to make it into a home.

Despite blasting the A/C the entire way back from the desert search he was covered in sweat. The sand clung to him and he let out a defeated kind of sigh. He spotted Nell at her computer, she was Skyping but she turned to see him. "Hey, you're back!" He wasn't leaving the search until they found Darby, he'd told Eric he'd see it through, and he wasn't going to back out on his promise. She turned back to the computer. "I'll be back in a few, Chlo!"

She shut down the program for a moment as she stood and crossed the room to stand before him. "You find her?" she nearly whispered.

Callen nodded. "We found her."

She let out a breath of relief. "Does Eric know?"

"Hetty went to personally tell him," Callen responded. "I need a shower, tell Chloe I say 'hello.'"

"I will," Nell responded as he turned away, their relationship had been strained and she knew she would have to tell him about Nate. She'd promised she would. She let out a sigh and walked back to the computer bringing back up her session with Chloe. "Hey, sorry about that. G says 'hello.'"

Chloe smiled on screen. "Tell him I say 'hey' back!" Chloe stood up. "Look," she pulled up her shirt over her large stomach. "It's been a while since I've talked to you. I've swelled up like a Goodyear Blimp!"

Nell's eyes pricked with happiness. Her sister, her little sister was six months pregnant, glowing and happy. With all the grim news as of late, Nell was happy to see the world kept turning and that her sister was happy and healthy.

::

Kensi and Deeks sat in the sand in their wetsuits. Their hair wet and heavy from the surf. Kensi had exhausted herself trying to keep up, but despite all the practice she'd had with Deeks, she couldn't compare. She often found herself in awe of his skills, on a board, in the kitchen, at the office... in the bedroom. A smile found its way onto her face.

"What's that about?" Deeks asked.

"What?" Kensi quickly schooled her face.

"That smile," Deeks said. "What was that smile about?"

"Nothing."

"Twinkies?" Deeks guessed and she shot him a dirty look. "Deep Fried Mars bars?" She swatted his arm. "Male strippers?"

"Oh my gosh! Deeks!"

"Me?" Deeks said putting a hand over his heart. "You were thinking about me?"

Deciding to go for payback she leaned in slowly, licked the cuff of his ear before whispering exactly what she'd been thinking about, with detailed erotic words. She sat back on her heels and smiled widely. Deeks had a flush to his skin and his lust filled eyes trailed over her body. "Your place or mine?" he asked.

::

He knew that it had been coming but when he answered the door and looked down to the small stature of Hetty, he was surprised. He didn't think she'd come to him with this news personally, though he should have known better. She thought the world of her agents, their triumphs were hers, but so were their shortcomings, their defeats, their hardships. Of course she would be the one to deliver this sort of news and he would never suspect she'd do it over the phone.

"Mr Beale," she said in greeting, her hands clasped in front of her and the weight of bad news upon her shoulders.

He backed into his apartment. "Come on in Hetty." He wished he'd tidied. Stacks of games, computer books and tech magazines laid around with dirty dishes, disorganized and disarrayed belongings. "Sorry, the place is a mess," he said trying to tidy the worst of it but she waved it off and took a seat making a motion for him to do the same. Despite the fact she was practically half his height he took the order quickly, sitting directly across from her.

"Mr Callen and the crime scene technicians found a body, we've run the DNA against yours," Hetty said, her sad eyes finding Eric's. "It is your sister."

He figured after seven years he'd be stronger hearing the news. Of course if they found her at all, they would find her dead. He worked law enforcement, give the tech side, but he knew the laws, he knew investigations, he knew that if you didn't find a missing person within forty eight hours their chances of being found alive are cut in half. After seven years the odds of seeing his sister alive were next to none. And yet, Hetty had spoken and it was as if the world froze for a moment, his brain took a minute to catch up, his heart raced within his chest, his hands shook and he looked skyward with prayers that he wouldn't start to cry, at least not until his boss left.

She stood, walked over to him and pushed aside some of his hair, an affectionate gesture a mother might do for her child. "I'm so sorry, Eric."

And with four simple words his grief caught hold and Hetty stayed.

::

Eric stepped out of his VW micro bus, which went much better with his typical surfer clothing than it did his crisp black suit. He walked across the cemetery and froze when he seen a familiar group of people.

Callen, Sam, Deeks, Kensi and Hetty were all wearing black suits. Kensi spotted him first, and pointed him out to the rest, her arm linked around Deeks's for support since she was wearing heels in the grass. They all turned and walked toward him, he met them half way. "Thanks," he said softly, and he knew he didn't have to explain why. He was wondering though, where Nell was. She was his best friend, and if all of his other colleagues had come of their own free will to support him, he figured she'd be there to.

"Eric?" he turned at the familiar voice.

"Beth," he whispered, beside the tall blonde was the short Nell who gave Bethany a slight push forward and she moved quickly over to Eric wiping away a tear he hadn't even realized had fallen.

"Nell told me what happened," Bethany said wrapping her arms around him and he quickly responded. He had missed her greatly, but with all he'd been going through he hadn't wanted to make things harder on her, she who was already going through one hell of a divorce. Besides, he still wasn't sure where they stood. They weren't really in a 'relationship' but they seemed to close for just platonic 'friendship.' She looked up at him with her clear blue eyes. "I'm here for you, you know that, right?"

He gave a sad smile and nodded, that was one thing he was sure of.

::

Nell was highly emotional after Darby's service, only because Eric was going to Bethany's did she leave him alone. She was worried, but she was relieved that Bethany had just jumped right up, and went down the hall telling Nell she had a black dress somewhere. Nell figured the other woman hadn't known, after all Eric hadn't even told the team.

She heard Callen shut the door and slide the deadbolt into place, he reached past her putting his set of keys into the bowl, they clinked against hers. "You okay?" he asked his hands gripping her shoulders lightly and trailing down her arms and back up again in a comforting manner.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice still thick from crying. "The service was beautiful. I think it will be good for Eric, for his family." She looked back over her shoulder at him. "It was because of you, you know. Because you started digging and didn't let up that they finally know what happened. That they finally have closure."

He let her go and pulled off his tie. "Lets just hope it helps Eric," he said after a few seconds. They both moved into the bedroom and Callen was quick to strip off the suit and tie in exchange for a pair of distressed denim and a worn out t-shirt. Nell turned her back to him. "A little help?" she requested. She could feel the heat off his body as he moved close to her before pulling the zipper down slowly and then pushing it off her shoulders, it pooled on the ground. She looked over her shoulder and caught a look of lust in his eyes.

"I got to cut the grass," he said quickly and left the room.

She let out a aggravated sigh. She knew he was giving her space after the emotions of the funeral, but she also knew the entire 'Nate' thing was driving him nuts, and he was keeping his physical distance from her putting up barriers until he knew the story. She pulled on a pair of cotton shorts and a t-shirt before flopping down on the bed and wondering just how to tell him.

::

**Thanks for reading!**

***I also posted a short story titled 'Snapshot.' It's the full story behind the picture of Deeks and Delaney in chapter 13. ***


	44. Chapter 44

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! **

**Here is a chapter full of Nallen, enjoy :)**

::

Callen had spent a good hour cutting the grass. Most of it he'd spent wondering if he really wanted to know. Nell and Nate had seemed rather cozy in his office, but it could have been just a friendly moment. Right? That was all it was. Right? He groaned inwardly. What if that wasn't it? What if there was something more between Nate and Nell? Callen was use to being left, though in relationships later in life, he'd been the one usually doing the leaving, it was easier that way. Still, this was what he'd feared the entire time before they'd gotten together, the entire beginning of their relationship, and now that he was settling in, getting use to being 'us' instead of 'I' did the waters start to rock and warn of a storm ahead.

He loves her. More than anything. He knows that, and he hopes she knows it too. And it's the love that's causing the fear, the apprehension.

Putting the lawnmower back in the shed he stares at the house that she's been making into a home, the home they share. A place where he loves coming back to. A bed that he relishes sharing. A kitchen filled with homey scents. A livingroom filled with laughter. It's home because she's there. He doesn't want to think about her leaving it, and he can't stand the thought of her leaving him. It wasn't as though he'd never had his heart broken, but if Nell was the one to do it, he can't help but think his heart would never be the same.

::

Nell baked. She baked oatmeal cookies. She baked banana muffins. She baked a vanilla cake. All the sweets in the world, all the following directions, methodical order to which she had everything organized, the stirring, the pouring, the decorating couldn't stop the gears in her brain from turning at an antagonizing pace. Surely Callen would be reasonable. He wouldn't be angry over events from years ago, right? She groaned, her head falling back butter knife in hand that she was using to put icing on the cake.

Letting out a sigh she got back to work, coating the cake with a thick layer of chocolate icing. Finished, the mess cleaned up and the sound of silence overcame the house as the lawnmower turned off. Her heart rate increased. He was coming back in. She couldn't stand the space between them, both physically and emotionally. She feared him pulling back into himself. She feared their relationship taking huge steps backwards. Biting her lip she walked into the livingroom and looked on the book shelf at the spines of photo albums, all hers. She knew his most prized photos and belongings were inside of the tea box that had a home above the fireplace.

The scrapbook in hand she walked to the middle of the floor and sat down, couch shopping at the back of her mind. If she was going to tell him everything, then it was logical she started at the beginning.

The door opened and she looked over at him. He kicked off his shoes and as if sensing she was watching, he turned to look over at her. She raised a hand and crooked a finger in a come-here motion. He tossed off his ball cap let out a sigh and walked over dropping down onto the floor next to her. He said nothing.

Nell bit her bottom lip, the scent of freshly cut grass clung to him, mixing with sweat and the scent that was uniquely _him_. She leaned in slightly. "You said you wanted to know how Nate and I know each other."

He didn't say anything, he simply nodded.

She opened the large book and let out a breath, she hadn't opened it in years. "This is my life," she said. "Or my life before NCIS. I haven't had time to update it," she rambled nervously.

She flipped past baby pictures, pictures of her biological parents, these pages had little anecdotes and cute sayings that were not in Nell's writing. Callen stopped her from turning and read a few. "My mother," Nell explained. "She did the first few years for me." Callen pulled his hand back to his lap and Nell continued. She stopped finding the image she wanted. "That's Nate," she said pointing to a little boy who at that time stood only an inch taller than Nell who was also in the picture, her deep brunette locks much longer and in pigtails. "We grew up in the same neighbourhood, our parents were friends." The bonds of childhood friends were the strongest of all in the instances where they lasted to adulthood. "When his parents would come over for dinner, or my parents go to their home for cards we'd play together."

"You've known each other a long time," Callen said quietly.

"Since infancy. Nate's older, of course, but he's known me since I was in diapers," Nell said flipping the pages again, not slowing to show off the years in between. "When my parents... passed... we drifted apart since I went into foster care, and later was adopted," Nell stopped again. "We met back up in college," Nell said pointing to an image of herself and Nate sitting on the couch in the Jones's livingroom. "We re-connected."

"You dated?" Callen wanted to know.

"Um... no," Nell said slowly.

Callen's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Nell sighed. "I dated a few people, not many." She let out a groan of frustration. "I'm not a good 'girlfriend' okay! I have control issues, and I live for my work. I don't cook nearly as often as I should, and I... I just... I didn't connect." Nell shrugged and bit her bottom lip, she was so different from the young woman she had once been, and her relationship with Callen was so much more stronger, intense and intimate than it had been with any of the others. She was terrified to loose it. "But... I finally dated a man in my field. He was a little older, handsome, incredibly smart and I was interested. We dated for a while, I kind of liked the company, the intelligent conversation." Nell felt vulnerable spreading out her dating history to Callen and could feel his icy cold eyes on her. "We lived together for a while."

Callen shouldn't have been surprised, she was a beautiful and incredibly intelligent woman, not to mention she was quirky, kind, and had a warmth about her. How wasn't so naive to think that she hadn't been with another man, but he was a little surprised to hear she'd once lived with another man.

She sucked in a breath and sighed before continuing. "We ended up having a fight. It started off with my 'unacceptable' work hours, lead into a blow out over laundry duties, and musical tastes, and his annoying habits, and my control issues, and... there was screaming, and door slamming, name calling and me packing my bags and..." Nell frowned at the memory. "And I went to the one person I could trust with it all."

"Nate."

"I..." she bit her tongue and tried to figure out how to say it.

"You slept with him," Callen offered, his tone trying to mask the fury such a thought caused him.

Nell bit her lip and nodded slowly once. "I was furious after the break-up came up to Nate's with my belongings. He knew the signs of a break up and broke out the ice cream and malt scotch. His choice of drink, not mine. I went into an angry spiel getting everything out and then... I... kissed him." She decided the skeleton of what happened to be better than details. "Eventually that lead to the bedroom," she bit her lip, a flush reddening her skin. She remembered most of the night despite the alcohol that lowered their inhibitions. Both Nate and Nell had, had a rotten day mixed in with too much alcohol- both those factors had made the choice between having sex, or dealing with their respective issues easier.

She turned her hazel eyes finding Callen's hardened blue eyes, azure with anger.

"We're just friends now, G. We slept together once in college and that's it. There was no relationship. I don't have feelings for him beyond friendship." And she didn't, she honestly didn't. She had slept with one of her best friends, and the morning after had hands down been the most awkward moment of her life. Regret clung to both as they had sat on opposite sides of the bed, facing away from one another putting on their clothing. They had been careful around one another after that, physically staying away, avoiding the awkward eye contact. It took them a long time to fix up the bridge of friendship they'd vandalized with their actions.

She reached out tentatively to touch his hand, his fingers moved making space for hers to interlock with his and she let out a small sigh of relief.

"And in the office?" he asked his fingers reflexively squeezing hers.

"We're just friends," Nell insisted. "You can't tell me you don't see something different in Nate. That he has been changed, that he's seen things on assignment... I was just offering support."

"Did you have to touch him to do it?" Callen's voice a near growl.

Nell almost smiled. "I just squeezed his hand, G."

He looked over at her, his eyes hardened. "You slept with him."

"Years ago," she replied a little exasperated. "You can't seriously be angry with me over something that happened so long ago, years before I even knew you or the Office of Special Projects existed!"

"I'm not angry with you," he sighed. "But I know whenever I see you and Nate together the knowledge that the two of you slept together is going to be forefront in my mind." He couldn't explain the cave-man reflex of wanting to tell her to stay away from Nate. He'd never been particularly possessive over belongings, or in this case, women, so the feeling took him by surprise.

"I'm sure there are plenty of ex-girlfriends and a particular ex-wife," Nell said narrowing her eyes at the memories of him with Tracy Keller, despite the fact that had been before they'd gotten together. "I don't need to know your history with other women, I don't want to know. Unless there is another ex-wife, for a cover or not that I should know about."

Callen shook his head. "Tracy was my only undercover ex-wife. Or wife of any kind for that matter."

"We good?" Nell asked a little nervous for the response.

"Yeah," his voice was gravely, he having still not come to terms with the fact that his long-time girlfriend and a close friend had been together, even if only for a night.

"You're not going to... be angry with Nate... are you?" Callen was quite for a second too long. "G!"

"Okay, okay," Callen said putting his hands up. "I'll be cool with Nate." He turned and got caught up in _her_, the fear of losing her. "Probably."

She sighed and was about to go into a lecture when his lips crashed down on hers hungrily, a hand in her hair and the other grabbing under her knee pulling her around to straddle his lap though the position didn't last long because he kept up the momentum flipping her so her back was against the hardwood floors and his body was between her legs. She smiled, crisis averted.

His body seemed to have a mind of it's own. One minute he's trying to come to terms with what Nell had told him, next he just wants to make sure she never seeks out another man. He hears her sigh and he wants it to be for an entirely different reason and then his lips are on hers and all he wants is to taste her, to feel her skin against his and with out thinking he has her on his lap and then flipped over onto the floor.

They've been starving for each other. Both balancing on a maze of highwires, while trying to keep their balance, they're also trying to figure out which way to go. But they found it. They just met in the middle, held on to one another, and let themselves fall.

::

When Nell awoke on the floor completely naked and a smile formed upon her face as she remembered what had transpired.

Callen was snoring softly behind her, and when she moved his hand around her tightened and pulled her back into his warmth.

The snoring had stopped though and he was tracing patterns on the skin of her stomach, so she figured he was awake. She moved again, but only to turn around and then wrap an arm around his waist. "I only want you," she said her lips grazing against his for what she had intended to be a light quick kiss, but his hand had snaked around to the back of her neck and held her their deepening the kiss. His hand loosened and she let out a pleased sigh, he smirked. "I love you, G." She loved the way his eyes lit up whenever she said it.

"I love you, too," he responded, his lips once again finding hers.

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	45. Chapter 45

A week after the funeral, it was apparent to everyone that Eric, though changed, was back. Fully reinstated by Nate, the Technical Operator was once more King of the Ops Centre.

Nell and Callen had settled back into their relationship, but Nell still worried about the quarterly psychiatric evaluation Callen still had to get done, he was still avoiding Nate.

Kensi and Deeks were still going back and forth with their 'thing' and had yet to solidify anything. They slept together on occasion, but more often than not they'd surf, or watch a movie, or argue over wether Twinkies actually had any nutritional value. Deeks kept wanting to push, but every time he did she'd withdraw so finally he just decided to wait it out.

Nate was working his way through quarterlies and only had Callen from that team left, and was getting frustrated that the agent never seemed to be around and knew that the other man was actively avoiding him. _'Nate, find Callen,' _Macy's words taunted. _'Yeah, right,' _he had responded all those years ago.

::

Sam came into the bullpen with a folder and a grim expression. Callen, who was making tea looked over. "What's that?"

"A folder," Sam replied grumpily.

"I know that," Callen said with a roll of his eyes. "What's in it."

"You're nosey," Sam said as he dropped his bag on the floor and the folder on his desk before dropping down into his seat.

"You're avoiding," Callen responded dropping the metal mesh filled with loose Earl Grey into the steaming mug of hot water. "Must be something interesting."

"New undercover op?" Kensi asked coming in wearing a pair of black boot-cut jeans and a plain t-shirt her hair fell in waves over her shoulder as she tilted her head trying to get a better look at the papers.

Deeks was right behind her, his hair still wet from surfing Kensi had skipped out on deciding to sleep in instead. He had a coffee in one hand, a cardboard holder for four with all holes filled along with a fifth held in the middle. "Morning," he said turning the corner. He set the coffee's down on Sam's desk and pulled out one for the big man nervously looking at the file. "Please tell me I don't have a folder like that," he said rather apprehensively as he shot a look over to his inbox.

"No," Sam said. "You don't. And thanks for the coffee."

"Yeah, no problem," he pulled out another and held it out to the Senior Agent-in-Charge.

"Thanks," Callen said leaning back against his desk taking a sip.

"Kens," Deeks held out her coffee for her which she took with a smile. He then put his thumb and forefinger between his lips and gave a piercing whistle. Eric and Nell both emerged from the Ops Centre looking mildly confused as they looked at each other and then down. "Coffee!" Deeks said holding up both of their cups, the tech's both smiled and came down the stairs.

"Thanks Marty," Nell said taking hers.

"Thanks," Eric said as well taking a blissful sip. "So good."

Deeks gave a nod of acknowledgement before looking again at the stack of papers. "As a lawyer, you want me to look at any of that?"

"It's not..." Sam sighed. "It's wedding stuff."

"Really!" Kensi perked up.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "Mitch says not to return home until I've done it."

Callen laughed. "That sounds like Mitch."

Sam shook his head. "With work it might be three days before I get this done."

"All is quiet upstairs," Eric said. "We're working on backing up case files and aliases. Seems like we're still on the back burner," he said knowing the reason the team hadn't been on a case for weeks was him. Hetty had kept all agents off since they didn't have a technical operator, and then Callen had gone off on his own tangent to find Darby and eventually everyone else had gotten in on it. They'd done it all for him, and he was going to do everything in his power to repay them.

"I could help," Kensi said.

"It's just wedding stuff," Deeks said causally. "How hard could it be?"

Nell's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"

"He is," Kensi said with a shake of her head. "He's a man. He has no idea. None."

"What?" Deeks leaned back slightly and gave a shrug of his shoulders. "You both get dressed up, say some lovey-dovey things and kiss and have a big party. How hard can this be?"

Callen's eyes were on Nell, the fact that she still looked so shocked over Deeks's comments lead him to believe she knew about weddings. Some of her siblings were married, so Callen wasn't too surprised, she probably helped out with planning, knowing her, she probably took control over it and played wedding-planner herself.

Sam flipped the folder open and looked. "Suits," he said letting out a breath. "It's pictures of suits. I'm to choose one," he looked around. "Where is Hetty?"

"You're going to have Hetty dress you?" Callen said with a laugh, he couldn't help but dig at his partner.

"Mitch doesn't really want my answer," Sam said wisely. "She wants her answer to come from me."

"Spoken like a true married man," Renko said from behind the agent as he'd been on his way to fill a thermos of coffee.

"Renko," Sam said shaking his head annoyed that he'd been startled. "What brings you here?"

"Here as in the office?" Renko inquired filling the his thermos to the brim and putting the pot back. "Or here as in your playpen?" He stepped up and looked at the suits over Sam's shoulder. Shaking his head he gave a grand motion with his hands, "Or here as in the spiritual sense?"

"I hate you," Sam muttered not really meaning it. He'd been friends with Renko for long enough to know the other agent wouldn't take it seriously.

"Aw, I love you too big guy," Renko replied with a smile.

"Renko," Angela barked from between the iron walls, hands on her hips a scowl upon her face. "Move it! We have to relieve Cooper and Faraday from surveillance duty. Keys."

"I don't have them." Her steely grey eyes hardened and he shrugged pulling them out of his jeans and tossing them over to her. She caught them and started walking down the hall, he begrudgingly followed slowly. "Grumpy," he muttered into his coffee.

"I heard that," she shouted back.

Sam shook his head as Renko disappeared down the hall. "I thought he was the Senior Agent on that team."

"He is," Callen responded.

"His partner seems to be running things."

"Behind every great man is a woman pulling the strings," Kensi said miming pulling puppet strings with her fingers.

"So you're saying Renko is a 'great man,'" Callen said teasingly.

Kensi rolled her eyes and returned to drinking her coffee. "I should have brought donuts."

"There are six pages," Sam said. "Six pages of suits! Six suits on each page. How am I to know which one I'm suppose to choose."

"Pick the one you like best, Mr Hanna," Kensi said with her best impression of Hetty.

"Great impression," Eric said. "Terrible advice. My cousin got married, he decided on a camo suit... they didn't end up married."

"Well that is common sense," Kensi said with a roll of her eyes. "Mitch has already done the leg work. These are all classics, any one of these would be perfect. Besides a wedding isn't just about what you wear."

"It kind of is," Nell said quietly with a little dreamy look upon her face.

"Yeah," Kensi reluctantly admitted and her face got a little dreamy too. "All the white."

"And the layers," Nell said.

"And the beading."

"And the lace."

The two women sighed and leaned into one another.

"And the shoes," they both said together.

Deeks was slowly backing away. Sam was shell shocked and stuck staring at them. Callen was rooted to the spot, too terrified to move. Eric was shooting desperate looks to Ops like he might get called away.

The women's moment broke and Kensi looked over the desk studying the images. "You look good in grey suits."

"And black suits," Nell came up.

"And navy suits," Kensi said.

"What colour scheme is the wedding?" Nell asked.

"Because the handkerchief has to go with the scheme," Kensi said.

"And what handkerchief would go best with which suit."

"I got to..." Eric said as he backed up a step. "Backstop...stuff..." he turned on his heel and practically bounded up the stairs.

"Deeks," Callen said planning his escape. "One on one?" he nodded his head in the direction of the gym and the other man took the escape gratefully. Sam was oblivious since the women were overloading him with questions and information.

Once out of hearing range of the women Deeks turned to Callen, "Thanks!"

"You owe me," Callen said with a grin as he took a sip of his coffee. "I'll cash in one day."

::

Nell wasn't thinking much about Sam anymore, she still sat with Kensi who was actually being helpful, while Nell's head was in the clouds. Today the ceremony in her head was in an old church, small gathering of immediate family and close friends. Floor length ivory gown with a tiny hand sewn floral motif. Her father in a classic black suit by her side to walk her down the isle. A veil that reached her elbows. Tears welling in her eyes as emotions ran through her. Her father would whisper something to her, memorable and kind, filled with love. Then the doors would open and she'd walk down the isle. The music in this particular scenario was played on piano and she stepped in perfect time. There were gasps, and giggles and flashes of cameras. And when her father stopped walking she'd turn to him and he'd lift her veil to give her a kiss on the cheek and then he'd put it back down.

He'd take her hand and place it _his_. Only then would she look up and into Callen's cool blue eyes. He was wearing a white suit, a handkerchief so blue it rivalled his eyes, a smile on his face- the genuine one that touched his eyes. And she'd step up onto the raise with him. The priest would speak but she wouldn't hear it because she'd be so nervous, so excited, and the only thing she could focus on were his eyes, that smile, and she had a feeling he wasn't hearing any of it either.

They would say their vows and would leave no dry eye in the house. They would say their 'I do's.' He would lift her veil, that serious expression upon his face, his eyes filled with adoration and then-

"Nell?" Kensi said. "What do you think about Orchids?"

Nell shook her head from the daydream. "I love orchids. What colour."

Kensi smiled, grabbed the arm of the chair Nell had wheeled over and pulled it closer. "That's the problem," Kensi said pointing. "We need to work on the main flower for his boutonniere from the flowers Mitch will have in her bouquet."

Sam's head hit his desk with a thud, a groan following.

::

Callen and Deeks sparred. Deeks was faster, Callen was stronger. Callen ended up on top more often than not, but Deeks held his own. They took a break wiping sweat off their faces and drinking water from their bottles. "You get your invitation yet?" Deeks asked.

"Came in the mail yesterday," Callen replied with a smile. "I can't believe Mitch gave him all those choices."

"I can't believe there is no stag!" Deeks said as if the concept personally offended him.

"It's his second time around, to the same woman," Callen said. "He's got two kids. He doesn't need to go to some strip club, get hammered and a lap dance." In fact, his own words made him cringe.

"What about Vegas?" Deeks said. "Gambling, drinking, male-bonding."

"No," Callen said. "Not for Sam. They're having a little wedding. Intimate. Consummating love and all that. Close family and the friends that are like family, that's what Sam said. We aren't screwing it up by dragging him out to Vegas for a weekend."

Deeks shook his head, but then smiled when he went back over Callen's words. "Sam considers me family?"

Callen might have brushed it off or said something sarcastic, but he heard the longing, the pride in Deeks's voice when he'd spoken. "Yeah, of course," Callen said taking a drink.

"And you?" Deeks knew he was pushing his luck.

Callen rolled his eyes at the need for validation. "Like a brother, an annoying one."

"I'll take it," Deeks replied with a grin.

Nate popped his head in. Callen froze where he was standing. "Shit," he muttered.

"Want to call in that favour?" Deeks asked quietly.

Callen sighed. "Na, I know he talked to Hetty this morning. She's going to chew me out and take me off duty if I don't get it done." He gave Nate a wave. "Let me shower! I'll be up in ten."

"Really?" Nate said with a look that said he didn't believe him.

"Yeah," Callen replied. "I know you have my suspension papers. I'd prefer you didn't sign them." He grabbed his duffle of clean clothing and headed to the mens locker room.

::

Showered and dressed in a pair of deep blue jeans and a green t-shirt he found his way to Nate's office. The door was open so he walked in and sat down across from Nate. "Huh," the psychologist said. "That was too easy."

"You talked to Hetty."

Nate smiled. "I don't have suspended-duty papers, Callen. I was talking to Hetty about the cardiovascular benefits of tea."

Callen glared. "I'm fine. Can I go?"

"No," Nate responded cheerfully. "I've got plenty of brain picking to do with you."

"Great," Callen muttered.

"Bosnia."

"Oh Hell." Nate sat back and stayed quiet. "Kensi and I are fine. We got that sonovabitch and it was long overdue. Everyone came back in one piece."

"Eric leaving the team, for however brief of a time. You're team leader and I know how it affected you, especially with your abandonment issues." Callen was glaring, but it had long ago stopped unnerving Nate. "Has your trust in him been restored?"

"He's back to work," Callen said. "We haven't really been working cases yet... I trust him not to do it again. I trust him to do his job."

"So you're on good terms."

"Yes."

"Good," Nate jotted something and Callen rotated his neck. Nate was a good man, a great friend, but Callen really hated Nathaniel Getz, psychologist. "And Nell?"

"What about her?"

"You're working in an incredibly high stress field with a woman you're living with, while holding onto a romantic relationship." Callen had a grip so hard on the chair that one of his knuckles popped. He released the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "It must be stressful."

"It is," Callen admitted, "But we work through it."

"Good to hear," Nate looked a little nervous. "Nell told me that she told you..."

"Don't go there, Nate," Callen advised.

"Not going there," Nate replied looking back down at his paperwork. "She loves you, you know," Nate said his honest brown eyes finding Callen's icy blue ones. "It's in everything about her. How she speaks when you're in ops. How she stands when you're in the same room. How she watches you, perks up when you say something. She's got her head in the clouds, Callen. All the years I've known her, I've never seen her like this. She's happier than she's ever been, Callen, and that's because of you." Callen looked surprised and Nate looked back down at his papers writing his name with flourish, ripping it off the pad and handing it to Callen. "Cleared for duty," Nate said. "As always, if you ever need to talk..."

"I know," Callen responded looking at the paper and standing. "And thanks."

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	46. Chapter 46

**Feel the love my friends ;)**

::

All the wedding talk with Sam and Kensi had Nell constantly distracted. Between herself and Kensi they had tackled all of Sam's wedding folder and completed it within the day. The folder closed, it went home with Sam... but it was still on Nell's mind. The dress and the suit, the flowers and the cake, the venues and the vows. She had wedding brain.

She thumped her head against her desk that was set up in one of the spare rooms. "Um... tea?" Callen asked from the doorway. She turned in her seat to see an eyebrow raised and a steaming cup of tea on a saucer in his hands. The visual made her smile. Something about a strong, handsome man, holding a dainty tea cup just seemed a little silly, maybe it was the feminine pink flowers painted on her set.

"Yes, please," Nell responded. He came up beside her and set the cup and saucer down on her desk before his strong hands clasped her shoulders, his thumbs rubbing between her shoulder blades in a spontaneous massage. "Ahhh," she smiled. "That feels nice." He kissed the top of her head and she let out a sigh that turned into a moan as he released the tension between her shoulders. "Have I ever told you, you're really good at that?"

"Not recently," he responded and she could hear the smile in his voice.

She reached out and grabbed the cup of tea taking a sip of the calming substance. "Agave nectar," she said. "Never stops surprising me that you don't use sugar."

"Look at who I work for," Callen said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "She even got me to stop using the bagged stuff."

Nell sighed. "I can taste the paper now too." She'd been making a quick cup of Green tea, she'd thrown in one of the paper bags, poured hot water over it and quickly scooped a few teaspoons of sugar, and then Hetty had come up behind her, studied her tea making and had shaken her head. 'Really, Miss Jones,' Hetty had said, 'You can't taste the paper?' And she hadn't, not until Hetty had mentioned it. Now she couldn't drink the quick and easy paper packaged teas, and she knew Callen couldn't either, pincers and canned loose tea in the kitchen was at testament to that.

Callen laughed. "Hetty," he said as if it explained it all. He let his hands drop off her shoulders and he leaned against her desk.

"G," Nell started setting the cup of tea carefully down on the saucer. "Can I ask you something, and you not... over think it?"

Callen stared at her for a long few seconds. "I'm already over-thinking."

She smiled and shook her head. "I'm just... curious... I guess."

"Alright," he said slowly. "I'll bite, what is it?"

"It's just that... before... when we were back visiting my family and there was... talk about... well... us," Nell said biting down hard on her lip, she never stumbled over words like this, but she felt as if she was trying to keep upright on heels while running down stairs- uncoordinated and unbalanced. "Marriage, and children and... with Sam getting married... it's just..." she pushed some of her hair behind her ear, glanced at the tea and then steeled herself to look back at Callen who was studying her with interest. "We've never really talked about where we're going, or where we see 'us' in five years. We've just been taking steps, great steps really, but... I was just... is it even something you really want? You know... husband and wife, little feet running around the house..." She stared at him for a long minute, but his face went unchanged. "Please say something," she said.

"I'm thinking."

"I said don't over-think it!" she said. "First reaction, right now, no thinking about your job, or mine, or OSP at all. It's just me and you. Lifetime commitment. Yes or no."

"Yes," Callen responded immediately.

She beamed at him and then got serious again. "And kids?"

He shifted uncomfortably in his stance. "I got to think on that one."

"Come on, G! Do you want kids or not?"

"It's not that simple, Nell," Callen argued.

"Is it something you want?"

"Do you want kids?" He asked.

"Yes," she responded immediately and then bit her lip. She wondered if this would break them, her wanting kids, him not wanting them.

He let out a sigh. "I'm forty."

"I thought we were past that," she responded.

"If we had a kid right now I'd be sixty before the child is twenty, and that's _if I make it _to sixty."

"Don't talk like that," Nell said sternly. She hated when he talked about his potential demise so casually. It made her feel cold and scared and terribly sad.

He crouched down and took her hands in his as he looked up at her from his position. "Nell," he said softly. "I need you to see the potential outcomes. I could get shot tomorrow, or taken out in an explosion, or-"

"Stop," she whispered closing her eyes tightly against his words. "Don't talk like that, please."

He sighed. "Babe, if we had a child you could end up raising him or her without me."

She opened her eyes and caught the serious expression upon his face, the forlorn look in his eyes, the longing there. "You want children."

"I want a family, yes," Callen replied. "I think it's unfair, and it's incredibly selfish of me, but _yes_," his voice cracked upon the word. "I want a family."

"Me too," she whispered, she bent her head so their foreheads and noses touched. "Don't you worry about 'potential outcomes' we want a family. That's it. Nothing outside of this house obscures our choice."

"Nell."

"G," she had an uncompromising tone to her voice. "If... if something happens," her voice cracked off and she had to wait a minute to get her emotions under lock and key. "I'll be okay... you know, it could be just as easy that I get into an accident on the way to work, or get sick, or-"

"Don't," he growled and she saw the stark intensity in his blue eyes. Understanding her previous dislike of his casual words, he sighed. "Don't talk like that."

"I might be an intelligence analyst, but... I could make enemies in this business too. More likely though, someone might think what I know is valuable... I'm just saying that... if something happens... you would... take care of... our... hypothetical children, right?"

"Of course," Callen responded. This conversation had his mind whirling with all the wants and desires he hadn't let himself think about. A wife, kids, maybe even a dog. _Family_. That was what he wanted, but he thought for so long that it was unattainable. Here she was though, the love of his life and she was willing to give him that one thing he'd longed for his entire life. "Nell," he said and she nudged her nose against his. "Any more questions I'm not allowed to over think?"

"Kiss me?"

A smirk came over his face. Of course, he obliged.

::

The wedding was going to be small. Really small. Callen would stand up for Sam. Lea for Michelle. Zachary would be the ring bearer, and Zoe the flower girl- that was the entire wedding party. Everyone else was guests. Sam would have his parents, Michelle would have her parents and her aunt and two cousins, each of them had invited a handful of friends.

"Small wedding," Sam huffed as he stood and a man kept pinning the navy suit he was wearing. "Michelle said a small wedding, and here I am spending six hundred on a suit."

"Stop complaining," Callen said sitting on a plush couch with champagne in hand. "It's not my wedding and I still have to pay four."

Sam raised an arm when the tailor asked and then looked back at Callen. "I probably haven't said it before so I'll say it now, thanks for doing this for me, G."

"I'll get you back," Callen said easily taking a sip of the champagne. It wasn't imported beer, which he figured would be better suited for a suit fitting.

Sam huffed in return. A minute passed. "Wait, what?"

"What?" Callen hadn't been paying much attention, he'd been studying the tie rack without much interest rather lost in thought.

"You said you'd get me back. Are you hinting toward something, G?"

Callen smiled. Actually full blown smiled, and Sam smiled right back. "You ask her?"

"No," Callen replied quickly sobering.

"But you're going to," Sam said still grinning.

Callen was hesitant for a second. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going to ask her."

"When?"

"I don't know," Callen gave a grand motion with his hands, one that screamed of quick exasperation. "I don't even have the ring yet."

"You're already thinking on the ring," Sam said. "You're really serious."

"I asked her to move in with me, that might have been the first sign I'm really serious."

"Yeah," Sam replied, "But this is marriage. I wasn't sure if it was something you'd want."

Callen was uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "I do," he said softly. "I do want it."

The tailor took the suit jacket off Sam and left the room to do more alterations, seeming to realize that the conversation was one best to have in private.

Sam took a step off the raise he'd been standing on and studied his partner, and good friend. "Good for you," he said. "I'm happy for you, G."

"She hasn't even said yes, yet," Callen said finishing the champagne and putting the flute back down on the table.

Sam shook his head. "Nell is smitten with you, you have nothing to worry about, G."

"Thanks, for the vote in confidence," Callen replied with sarcasm, but he was truly grateful to have a friend like Sam.

::

"You have your dress," Deeks asked.

"For the wedding?" Kensi replied as they sat in her kitchen eating pizza.

Both were still wet from playing on the beach. He'd grabbed her, dressed in a yellow bikini top and blue shorts, and tossed her over his shoulder, kicking and squirming the entire way, he dressed in just his swim trunks he'd walked right into the water and pulled her under with him. Her hair was still so wet that when she moved little droplets would fall. His being shorter was beginning to dry, it was sticking up at all angles, curling slightly here and there.

"Yeah, for the wedding," Deeks replied picking off a peperoni from a neighbouring slice and loading it onto his.

Kensi kicked him under the table. "Stop stealing the peperoni!"

Deeks just grinned and took a bite of the slice. "Dress," he prompted before he washed down the pizza with Coke.

"Yeah, I got it."

"Can I see it?" Deeks asked curiously.

"Nope."

"Aw, come on!" Deeks whined. "Why not?"

"I want it to be a surprise," she replied, her bare leg rubbing against his.

Deeks smiled. He loved surprises.

::

Eric had stayed the night at Bethany's place, and now in the wee hours of the morning did he realize she was no longer in bed next to him. He rolled out of bed wearing a pair of light weight baby blue drawstringed pyjama pants, he had all kinds of clothing at her place, he had a toothbrush in her bathroom, and that was okay, he'd found shirts of hers in his laundry, mascara in his bathroom. They were infringing on each other's space, and neither found any reason to complain.

He searched for her, quietly moving through the house, he found her in her little studio. He didn't say anything, not wanting to startle her while she was painting. She stopped, put her brush in a mason jar filled with water, pulled out the buds on her Ipod and turned to look at him. "Did I wake you?"

"No," he responded coming in to see what she was working on. He couldn't tell what it was to be yet. He liked that. Watching a painting go from something like this, wisps of white, large beige spots, bits of blue and pink, to something absolutely beautiful. "What's it going to be."

"You'll see," she responded. She never told him. She smiled, and he smiled back. "I got to wait for that layer to dry. Want to make cookies."

"It's three in the morning," Eric responded.

She grinned and her hand touched his arm and held there. "Yeah, I know," she replied. "But I want cookies."

He looked down at her hand on his arm, it was such a simple gesture, and but it was gestures like this from her that he practically lived for. He lived for her smile, and her laughter, and her spontaneous nature, for her bad moods, her messy art space and everything in between. He was starting to think he was in over his head. "What are we doing?" he blurted.

"Standing. Breathing. Going to make cookies," Bethany responded.

"That's not what I mean... what are we?"

"Human," Bethany responded as if he'd dropped massive IQ points.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she smiled and his brain derailed. "I think I love you." He stiffened as soon as he said the words. He wanted to groan, hit his head off a wall, CTRL Z the last minute.

Bethany beamed, obviously unbothered by the spontaneous declaration of love. "Yeah?" She responded taking a step toward him, their chests touching, her clear blue eyes sparkling. "I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you too."

::

**Thank you for reading! Love and Light!**


	47. Chapter 47

"_Look, I just need a fix," _Deeks was saying, his hair was more dishevelled than usual, his shirt had a bit of a rip that showed off a bit of his tanned abdomen his black jeans were ripped here and there, worn out and stained. His body shook slightly with tremors of withdrawal. "Please. We can work something out."

Kensi's face was tense as she watched through binoculars. "Reminds me of Bosnia," she whispered.

Sam who was in the car with her frowned, he'd been thinking the same thing. "He's just playing the part of a junkie. He's done it before, he'll likely have to do it again." He shifted in the seat of his car, trying to work out the tenseness in his shoulder over watching the scene unfold. Deeks was playing the part of a down on his luck junkie who would do _anything _for a fix. They knew the man needed help pushing the drugs, drugs he'd smuggled in on a military vessel. They needed the names of those who helped him. They needed him to trust Deeks and bring in the junkie to help.

The man in question was Eben Holt, and he was skittish, wildly looking around and had likely shot up before coming to the meet. "Alright, I need some help moving some... _product._" He looked around again. "Meet me here," the man passed him a small card of paper with messy scrawl covering it. "Back door. Seven. Come _alone_."

"Yeah, yeah," Deeks replied shaking slightly and rubbing his arm over the fake track marks. "But... a hit, come on man, just something to hold me over until then." He had to sell it after all. A junkie wasn't going to get a meet and then forget he really, really just wants the drugs.

Holt pulled out a small bag and shoved it into his hand. "You better be there at seven. You'll be working this off."

"Yeah, yeah," Deeks said nodding his head enthusiastically. "I will, I got this. I just needed a little hit. I'm fine. I'll be there," he rambled as Holt walked away. Deeks waited a few more minutes.

"_Clear,"_ Callen's voice came through the speakers. He was on the next street down and had been staking out Holt's car. _"Holt's on the move. I'm going to tail him, Deeks get what he gave you analysed against what we recovered, make sure it's from the same shipment." _

"Got it," Deeks replied.

"_Eric, Nell, we need everything on the neighbourhood, blueprints for the location, any camera angles you can find would be great. Sam, Kensi, figure out our tactical options." _

"Got it," Sam said as Deeks got into the back seat of the car with him and Kensi. Sam started up the car. "You good Deeks?"

"Fine," Deeks replied sitting in the back seat rather solemnly. Sam looked to Kensi with a raised eyebrow, she didn't say anything but Sam could see the worry in her voice. Dropping it, Sam drove to the office.

::

"Neighbourhood is old. It's due to undergo major reconstruction," Nell said. "It's hazardous, abandoned after a bad quake a few years ago. Structural damage. Everyone was forced to leave."

Eric frowned. "That's bad. Now we don't have to just worry about the criminals, we have to worry about buildings collapsing," he let out a breath. "I've got access to the building permits... and blueprints are on their way." He pushed away from the console and rubbed his eyes before smothering a yawn. "Been a long day" he muttered. They'd been on the case since four o'clock the day before, and it was starting to really get to them. His stomach rumbled and he wondered when the last time any of them ate was.

"And it looks like it's going to be a long night too," Nell said closing her eyes for a second trying to get the burning sensation to go away, she'd been staring at her computer screen for far too long.

Eric pulled out his phone when it vibrated in his shorts. He let out a sigh. "Hey Beth," he answered trying to sound more cheerful, he was exhausted, and worried about the agents who were in less than an hour going to be walking into a death trap of a condemned building with some paranoid drug addicts and crooked Marines.

"_You said you would be over for dinner... an hour ago." _

"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. I meant to call."

"_It's okay. I was just... worried, I guess. It's fine. Another night.." _

"I'm really sorry Beth, I'm just, really swamped at work."

"_It's fine," _she said again, but he could hear the agitation in her voice give her away. _"I'll talk to you...whenever. Bye Eric." _

"Bye Bethany."

Nell bit her bottom lip as Eric looked over at her. "How am I suppose to balance this job and a relationship with someone who thinks I'm an IT?" He asked her raising an eyebrow, his blue eyes searching.

She frowned. "I don't know, Eric." She had the opposite problem with Callen. She knew exactly what he did. And he knew what she did. And that had it's own set of problems and worries.

Eric was moving into deeper emotional territory with Bethany, and the first date after the big 'I love you's' were shared he had bailed. After all she'd done for him, and it was tiny things she'd been there for him when he'd really needed her. Her door was always open for him, her bed always warm, her smile infectious. He sighed. He needed to get his head in the game, he'd worry about how to make it up to Bethany later.

::

"I really don't like this," Kensi said as she and Sam stood over the blue prints memorizing them. "They're condemned."

"So is this building."

"Only on the outside," Kensi said. "It's structurally sound, a rouse. This," she tapped the paper. "Is really dangerous. Deeks will be inside with a Holt and the dirty marines. Guns start going off... it's a bad situation, Sam."

"We can't pull out now," Sam said. "We have a meet. Well have Deeks's back."

Kensi sighed. "Tactically we're at a disadvantage if they take the meet to the back."

"We'll have to go less lethal," Sam said.

"The place is too big, too dangerous. We'll need tactical support to block off all exits."

"Guess we'll have to talk to Hetty," Sam said.

::

"So," Deeks hovered over the forensic tech.

"So back off," the woman was in a crisp suit, the white lab jacket crisp and ironed, her hair cut very short as if it might get in her way otherwise. She moved around and Deeks waited impatiently. He wondered if she was always in such a foul mood. "It's a match to the previous samples you've brought in."

"Alright, thanks."

::

"Crap," Callen muttered as he looked into his rearview mirror. Maybe he was wrong... but he had a bad feeling about that black SUV. He dialled up the OPS centre.

"_Hey Callen,_" Eric answered.

"Nell there?" Callen asked.

"_Uh... yeah." _

"Send her for coffee."

"_Um..."_ Eric's voice got muffled to Callen's ears and then silence for a second. _"Okay. She's gone. What's up?" _

"I may or may not have someone tailing me as I'm tailing Holt. I need to know who this player is," Callen responded. He wondered if it was Interpol, he'd heard they were interested about Holt on unrelated charges to the ones NCIS were perusing. As much as he didn't want to get into a jurisdictional battle with Interpol, it was better than the alternative that whoever was tailing him was one of Holt's men, perhaps the crooked marines.

"_Tracking your GPS," _Eric said._ "Alright, looking for nearby traffic cam's... got you, which vehicle is the tail?" _

"Tango, Echo, Bravo five, four, seven, Sierra," Callen read off.

"_TEB 547S," _Eric repeated. _"Got it. Running the plate now." _

Callen checked his rearview mirror. "He's tailing me," Callen decided out loud as the SUV sped up to pass another car... and didn't slow down. "Shit!" There wasn't any time to do anything when the SUV slammed into his back end. He quickly counter steered in a desperate attempt to keep his car in his lane.

"_Callen!" _Eric's voice had panic, and Callen figured he's seen what happened on the cameras. _"Cars a rental. The guy who rented it was found dead three days ago," _Eric kept the flow of information going.

"Good to know Interpol's not trying to crash my car," Callen growled. The car lurched as it was hit again, his seatbelt locking into place and he was sure he was going to have a bruise.

"_Loose this guy, Callen," _Eric said. _"I'll keep eyes on Holt, as long as he's near a camera, I've got him." _

Callen didn't like it, but he knew Eric was right, he had to loose this guy, the chase was getting to dangerous, and other drivers were going to be put at risk. "I know," he said. The car gave another lurch and he heard something dragging. He figured it was his back bumper. "Son of a bitch," Callen muttered counter steering sharply to avoid another car, it was too late when he realized the position it put his car in and in seconds his vehicle was t-boned, the car spun 180 and tires slamming against the curb between the opposite directions lanes, the momentum causing the car to flip over, cars in the other lanes having little to no time to react the car was hit again. He reached for his phone before it all went blank.

::

The phone rang in the Ops Centre and Eric glanced at the caller ID before he picked it up and put it to his ear, pinning it in place with his shoulder as he continued work. _"_Hey Callen,"Eric answered.

"_Nell there?"_ Callen asked.

"Uh..." Eric looked discreetly over at his partner. "Yeah."

"_Send her for coffee." _

"_Um..." _Eric put his hand over the phone. "Nell, can you get me some coffee, I'll incour the wrath of Hetty, but I can hardly keep my eyes open."

She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. "Sure, you want a double shot of espresso in that?"

"If you think it would keep me awake you could put an entire can of Redbull in it," Eric said and Nell shook her head leaving, he waited an extra few seconds till he was sure she was out of hearing range. "Okay. She's gone." It worried Eric that whatever Callen wanted to tell him, he wanted Nell out of the room first. "What's up?"

"_I may or may not have someone tailing me as I'm tailing Holt. I need to know who this player is,"_ Callen responded.

Eric switched programs and his fingers quickly moved over the keyboard. "Tracking your GPS,"he saidhis eyes quickly running over the screen taking it all in."Alright, looking for nearby traffic cam's... got you," he said spotting Callen's white Mercedes. "Which vehicle is the tail?"

"_Tango, Echo, Bravo five, four, seven, Sierra,"_ Callen read off.

"TEB 547S,"Eric repeated. _"_Got it. Running the plate now."

"_He's tailing me," _Callen said and Eric put the footage up on the big screen to properly see what was going on, to best assist Callen. The SUV sped past another car but didn't hit the breaks after doing so, instead it seemed the car actually accelerated, right into the back end of the Mercedes. _"Shit!"_ Eric watched in horror as Callen's car swerved around a bit but Callen had managed to keep in control.

"Callen!"Eric could hear the panic in his own voice. He quickly buckled down and got back to the search. He read over the information. "Cars a rental," he informed. "The guy who rented it was found dead three days ago."

"_Good to know Interpol's not trying to crash my car,"_ Callen sounded angry, and Eric didn't blame him. The footage had Eric incredibly worried. How many times had he watched situations like this? How many times did they have a good ending? It felt as if there was lead in his stomach. The Mercedes lurched as it was hit once more by the SUV.

"Loose this guy, Callen," Eric ordered his hands quickly going over the keys looking up all cameras in the area. "I'll keep eyes on Holt, as long as he's near a camera, I've got him." He was determined to keep eyes on Holt, especially if that meant Callen could give up this chase.

"_I know," _Callen had replied sounding frustrated. Eric watched as the Mercedes was once again slammed into, it swerved a bit and Eric could see sparks as the back bumper dragged along the road. _"Shhf of missh," _Callen muttering was lost on their communication device, but Eric imagined it wasn't something pleasant. To avoid hitting another car, Eric knew that Callen had, had to pull hard in the opposite direction, and watching it unfold on the big screen, he knew... he watched and he knew what was about to happen and yet was completely powerless to stop it.

Callen's vehicle was t-boned, the car spun 180 and tires slamming against the curb between the opposite directions lanes, the momentum causing the car to flip over, cars in the other lanes didn't have time to do anything, a red convertible slammed into the vehicle that had come to a standstill on it's roof, t-boning it for a second time. "Callen?" Eric said. "Callen!" He didn't even have time to call for medical back up before another car hit the convertible.

He turned to grab his phone and in his peripheral vision saw someone standing in the doorway. _Nell. _She had two mugs of steaming hot coffee in her hands and was staring in shock at the screen. Eric wondered how long she'd been there. Then, both mugs slipped from her grasp as if she suddenly lost all strength to hold them. The mugs shattered and hot coffee spilt everywhere, some of it getting on her tights and shoes, but she simply walked right up grabbed her ear phone and dialled in the number on her computer. "Requesting medical, Agent down." She looked over at Eric and he could see how terrified she truly was, it was written plain as day in her hazel eyes.

::

Sam let out a breath as he came back into the room after talking to Hetty, she was rounding up all agents who weren't currently on case to assist. "Got a plan?" he asked Kensi.

"Not any good ones," Kensi replied. "I'm worried about the buildings structural integrity. Gunfire to enough support of the already crippled house..." she bit down on her lip.

"It'll be fine," Sam insisted. "This is no different than any other op. We'll try and go less lethal to prevent damage."

"They won't be going less lethal," Kensi nearly growled right as Deeks returned. She eyed him still in his 'junkie' wear. "You look like hell," she said glaring at the fake track marks on his arms.

"What?" Deeks mocked offended. "I'm sexy and I know it."

Kensi groaned, but she couldn't help the hint of a smile that only encouraged Deeks. "Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, yeah!"

Kensi laughed and Sam threw a paper ball at his head. "Shut up and study the layout, Deeks," Sam ordered with a slight grin upon his face.

Deeks walked over and stared at it for a few seconds before Sam's phone broke them up. Sam pulled it out and answered. "Hey Mitch," Sam said moving away from the table.

Deeks sat on a stool next to Kensi. "No I want strawberry icing on the cake," Deeks said in his best Sam impression.

Kensi quickly caught on and stifled her laugher. "Chocolate fondant would look so much better," Kensi said in her imitation of Michelle. The fact that they were making up a phone conversation that was too quiet for them to eavesdrop on was a good indication on how little sleep they were running on. She turned to her partner, a smile on her face, he had managed in less than two minutes to lift her spirits out of despair. "You okay?" she asked remembering his face in the car, she knew he too had been remembering Bosnia and the weeks after trying to get clean and going through the awful withdrawal symptoms.

"I'll be fine," Deeks said, now serious as she. "Lets just get these guys."

"We will," she said.

::

His phone going off, he pulled it out and checked the ID before answering. "Hey Mitch," Sam said walking away from the curious ears of Kensi and Deeks.

"_You missed your final suit fitting," _Michelle said sternly.

"Works been busy," Sam replied. He knew the appointment had been two hours previous, but he just hadn't been able to get away, everything was in motion, this thing was coming to a close. Finally. Maybe tonight he'd get to read a book to his kids, and tuck them into bed. "I'm sorry, I'm sure the suit is fine though."

"_Are you?"_ he could hear the mirth in her voice.

He smiled. "I am. Besides, why do I have to worry. Everyone will be looking at you."

"_This is true,"_ Michelle said and he could hear her laughter. _"Will you be home tonight?" _she asked the amusement running dry.

"Deeks is undercover," he said. "Were running tactical. I'm not sure when we'll be done... when I get back to the office, I'll give you a... Eric?" Sam got off track when Eric ran into the room with a panic stricken expression upon his face.

"_Eric? Sam, what's going on? Sam?" _

"I have to go," Sam said. He quickly took the time to say 'I love you' before he hung up... because you just never knew when it would be the last time you'd get the chance.

Sam, Kensi and Deeks all merged before Eric, Kensi putting a hand on the man's shoulders. "Eric, what happened?"

Eric swallowed hard, his adam's apple bobbing. "There has been an accident."

Their blood ran cold, the only one from the team still out was Callen.

"Nell," Kensi said.

"Ops," Eric replied and the brunette moved quickly out of the room.

"Holt?" Deeks asked, he'd gone undercover as a junkie for this. He wasn't about to let the case fall apart, no matter how worried about Callen he was, besides he knew the other agent would abolish him for letting his duties fall to the side.

Eric turned around his tablet, Kaleidoscope watchful eye keeping tabs on Holt, and the SUV.

"Get tactical," Deeks told Sam itching at the track marks falling into his alias. "We're taking these guys down."

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	48. Chapter 48

"Nell," Kensi whispered as she came into the Ops Centre to find the Japanese American technical operator... _Kimi, _Kimi was her name Kensi remembered, was standing by Nell as they re-watched the footage of the crash on the big screen.

Kensi watched as Callen's car was hit passengers side, t-boned. It spun around would have done a full three sixty she figured had it not have hit the island curb between opposing lanes of traffic. It flipped over onto the hood of the vehicle. There was no time for the oncoming car to do anything evasive. It t-boned the opposite side, the driver side of the vehicle. Three seconds later another car slammed into the back of the convertible, the Mercedes sliding along it's hood. "My God," she whispered in horror.

Nell turned to Kensi, the bluish lights of the ops centre illuminating the tears in her eyes and the tracks down her cheeks. "Kensi..." she said, the only word the young woman could manage to get escape her lips. Kimi's hand went to Nell's shoulder in a gentle squeeze. Kensi quickly came over and hugged Nell tightly, the younger, smaller woman holding on tightly.

"Medical is on it's way," Kimi informed Kensi. "First responders are already on scene. I can't get a patch through until they're at the hospital." She stroked Nell's hair in a calming manner. "When I informed Renko what happen... he's withdrawing his team from the field. They'll be back up for your team when you go after these guys."

"Hetty's going to have his hide," Kensi muttered rubbing circles on Nell's back, the younger woman seemed to have succumbed to grief and wasn't listening.

Kimi gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Such is Renko's way. When you have his loyalty, there is quite literally nothing he wouldn't do for you," Kimi said quite seriously. She handed Kensi an earpiece, one she figured was Nell's. "I'll keep checking in with medical, I'll ring you when I have anything."

"Thanks Kimi."

Kimi gave a sharp nod and went off to another wing of the Ops Centre.

Kensi tightened her arms around Nell as she looked up at the last image of the clip they'd watched, the accident looked bad. Really bad. They'd all been thinking about weddings, and her biggest worry in the case had been Deeks, he was the one undercover after all. It just went to show how quickly everything could turn about, how dangerous every aspect of their jobs were.

Sam, Deeks and Eric walked back in, Eric immediately going to his partners side taking over Kimi's place stroking her hair. "Kensi, we're going to need you," Sam said geared up, a NCIS bulletproof vest over his chest, gun strapped to his thigh for quick access.

Kensi gave a slow nod. "We're going to get these guys, Nell," she said kissing the top of her head. She handed the Ops ear phone to Eric who quickly put it in his ear. Kensi, Sam and Deeks patched in through earwigs. "You better get that in good, Deeks," she told him as they walked out of the Ops Centre, she had to steel her spine to keep from looking back at the image on screen. She needed to be focussed.

"You going to help me dig it out later?" he asked, he'd been trying to be light with banter, but his voice sounded hollow, even to him.

Sam passed them in the hallway and moved quickly down the stairs. Kensi grabbed Deeks's arm and pulled them into a tiny alcove. "Be safe," she ordered.

"I'll do my best," Deeks replied. He couldn't promise that he would be, he couldn't promise that he wouldn't get injured, he couldn't promise that he'd come back at all. He wouldn't make a promise to her that he couldn't keep.

She gave a sharp nod, gave a quick look around before she planted a hard kiss on his lips, pushed past him and walked away.

Deeks stared at her as she moved swiftly down the stairs moved toward the armoury. His fingers touched his lips surprised by what had just happened. He let out a breath. They were both stressed. Callen was injured, that much was incredibly clear. How badly was questionable. He hadn't seen the footage, he wondered if Kensi had.

He forcefully shook his head and took a deep breath in. His right hand shook slightly, hitting against his leg. He loosened his posture and started to walk a change in his gait, he looked around falling into his alias he sat agitated at the bottom step waiting for Sam and Kensi along with their back up tactical. He checked his watch, they needed to get moving or he was going to be late.

Kensi came down the hall, side by side with Sam. Her hair was pulled back, and like Sam she was wearing a NCIS emblazoned bulletproof vest, she wore her sidearm on her thigh for quick and easy tactical access.

Behind Kensi, looking some kind of furious was Mike Renko, Deeks didn't know him well, but he'd seen interaction between Renko, Sam and Callen, they always spoke and joked as if they'd known each other their entire lives, it was easy to see they were close. Beside him was his partner... Angela Mercer, the woman evoked a primal fear in Deeks, by their sides was Ryan Cooper, a man who Deeks got along quite well with on the odd occasion they'd all gone out as a big group. Noah Faraday always looked out of place, today was no different, a white collared shirt under his NCIS vest, and a pair of black slacks, he looked more like a lawyer than an agent... he didn't look as dangerous as the others but Deeks knew appearances could be deceiving and the man wouldn't be in the Office of Special Projects if he wasn't one of the best.

"Deeks is undercover on this," Sam told them turning to face the group. Deeks was in his alias, his hand wouldn't stop twitching. He forced a mock salute and looked around nervously. "Deeks, I think you know; Renko, Mercer, Faraday, Cooper." Deeks nodded. It was always good to know who was at your back. "There are another few agents in the field who are willing to provide support. We won't be able to plan with them though. I figured it was too dangerous to have more them around uncoordinated. You want more support Deeks?"

Deeks was surprised that Sam was actually asking for his opinion. He wondered if it was because with Callen hospitalized Sam took over as Lead Agent and was worried about his leading abilities, or if he genuinely wanted to know. Deeks decided it didn't matter much, he looked to his partner, then Sam and then the other team. Everyone looked determined to take these guys down.

"This is good," Deeks said. "If we have more agents it'll become a mess. I want things quiet. Last thing I need is another bullet hole," Deeks sounded down and he was itching his arm.

Kensi and Sam shared a look. When Deeks went undercover, he immersed himself in his alias. They didn't like what the 'junkie' was doing to him. Sam's expression was grim. He was worried about Callen, they had yet to get an update. He wondered if Eric would tell them if he got one, he'd likely not want to distract them... but they were already distracted.

"Lets do this," Sam said and the agents started to move out.

::

Marines. They're suppose to be honourable. Not smuggling drugs. Not murdering those who found out. Not selling to some lowlife like Eben Holt.

Deeks couldn't stand still, he wasn't even sure anymore if it was his own natural inability to stand or sit still for any great length of time- he was worried about Callen- worry always made him fidget more, or if it was his twitchy alias.

"Who the hell is this?" one of the marines looked Deeks over. He was the largest of the three, buzz cut of faint reddish hair.

"Danny," Holt responded. "He... owes me."

"He looks a little twitchy," the marine commented circling around Deeks looking him over, Deeks figured he was looking for a gun, which he'd had to go in without.

"What you gay or something?" Deeks's alias had a bit of a lazy speech. "You checkin' me out? I don't' swing that way. Got a thing for brunettes." He heard a snort through his earwig, one he attributed to Cooper- the man had a sense of humour, even when the timing was all wrong.

He felt the hit to the back of the head, and collapsed to his knees hissing out a breath. He cursed a few times, his fingers threading through his thick shaggy hair and feeling the wetness of blood. "Did you just pistol whip me?" his voice incredulous, but he was trying to let his team know that he was going on, and if he was still talking and hadn't said the distress word, that he was fine.

"Shut up," the smallest marine kicked him in the ribs and he fell over.

"Hey," Holt said. "I need him. He has contacts. Underground. Buyers, lots of them. You want to get money? You need peddlers, and he owes me."

The red haired marine tucked the gun in the back of his pants.

Deeks sat up slowly trying to blink away the dark spots in his vision. There were blueprints on the table. The marines were talking about the shipping times. Holt was nodding. They had what they needed.

"I got a question," Deeks said. "Any of you drive a SUV?"

"What's it to you?" The final marine with dark hair asked.

_Him. _Deeks thought. _It was him who ran Callen off the road. _Deeks just smiled. "Want something big to watch the _sunset _in with my girl. Is there lots of leg room?"

Sunset was the word the other agents had been waiting for. Kensi and Sam barged in the front door. Renko and Angela came in the back. The men scattered, one cried out in pain as the first shot rang out.

"I said less lethal!" Sam shouted as he knew that the damage caused to the man's knee was that of a real bullet, not the plastic ones they were trying to use, gun with lead bullets at their sides.

"I'm a good shot," Angela barked back stomping her boot down on the man who's knee she'd taken out. "Stay down," she pointed the gun right at his head.

Renko knew he'd have to give his partner hell for this later, she always did have a blatant disregard for orders, she did things her way simple as that. He put the thought on the back burner, raising his gun he shot one of the men running to the window with a rubber bullet, it made the man yelp in pain but he still went through the open window. "Got one coming boys," he warned Cooper and Faraday who were on the grounds.

"_Good," _Cooper's voice was tight with anger through the comms. He obviously wanted a piece of the action.

Kensi and Sam boxed the last marine, both pointing their guns. He was the one who had hit Callen's car and neither was quite sure they could keep themselves from pulling the trigger.

Holt made a move going after Angela, she whirled around pointing the gun at his head. The fallen marine took the chance with her not having the gun pointed at him to punch the back of her knee causing her to fall backwards. Renko got Holt into a loose choke hold unable to get a stronger grip since he was pointing the gun at the marine firing a few rubber bullets at his chest. The man groaned in pain.

"Kensi," Sam nodded over to where Renko was trying to keep two men down. She couldn't bring herself to lower her gun though. "Kensi!" Sam barked. She really just wanted to shoot the man who'd crashed Callen's car. They still didn't know how he was doing.

Deeks grabbed the lethal gun from her side and walked over to where Renko was. Renko adjusted his grip tightening it now that he could, he'd mostly been struggling just to keep Holt in place. Deeks pointed the gun at the marine. "I've had a shitty day," Deeks told him. "Try me."

"Ange?" Renko looked over at her as Holt lost consciousness and he lowered him to the floor.

"I'm fine," she growled getting up to her feet, her knee seemed to have been knocked out of place a bit because she couldn't seem to find her standing the leg didn't want to stay under her.

"Cooper, Faraday?"

"_Got the son of a bitch," _Faraday said.

"_He ain't as pretty as he once was,"_ Cooper's tone went for light but there was a tremor of exhaustion and anger.

Sam kept his gun levelled at the marine who had crashed Callen's car. It took everything he had to turn the man around and cuff him. Justice system would take care of him, or at least that was what Sam told himself. Secretly, he'd never wanted to shoot someone so bad in his life.

::

"Stand still for a damn second," Cooper said as the prisoner van drove off. He stood by Deeks studying the mark on the back of his head, best he could given all the hair and all the blood, blood that was now covering the black evidence gloves over his hands.

"I can't," Deeks complained. "I need to go. Has anyone heard anything about Callen?"

"It's been quiet," Kensi said looking at her partner worriedly as Cooper checked the cut.

"Too quiet," Renko said a subtle tremor of anger under his voice.

"Eric," Sam barked, unable to wait longer for information. "Status on G." Silence. "Eric?"

"_Wait a damn minute," _Eric replied testily. Another few seconds passed. _"Nell doesn't need to hear it again." _

Sam immediately felt guilty, of course Eric would want time to excuse himself from Nell before taking this call. "How is he?"

All the agents tensed, everyone listening to the same information playing in their ear pieces.

"It's bad, we're heading over now that we've finished up here," Eric's voice was strained. "They have him in surgery. They can't tell Hetty much more than that yet... the doctors said the damage was widespread, extensive. By the time we get to the hospital, they might be able to tell us more."

The group of agents looked at each other, there were all kinds of expressions. Sam had a pained expression. Renko and Deeks were displaying anger. Kensi and Faraday a sadness. Cooper ran his hand through his hair, there was frustration in the inability to do more stuck between the emotions the others had. Angela was a blank slate, her grey eyes keeping tabs on the members of her team, especially that of her partner.

"Lets get to the hospital," Sam said.

The exhausted agents all started to move. As much as Renko wanted to go to the hospital he called out to Sam. "Keep me updated!" he still had stolen missiles to find, he couldn't risk them being sold on the black market, even as his friend fought for his life.

::

Nell was a statue sitting in the waiting room of the hospital, her spine completely straight, her eyes glazed and distant staring blankly at the wall, hands clasped in her lap. Eric wasn't sure what was more frightening, her tears in the Ops Centre, or this lack of... everything and anything Nell.

He was grateful when the door swung open to Sam and Kensi. "Anything?" Sam asked immediately.

Eric shook his head sadly. "Not a word."

Kensi looked worriedly over at Nell. "How long has she been sitting like that?"

"She stopped crying shortly after you guys left, we finished up watching cameras, logging files and sending detainment unit... and she just kept getting quieter... she at least fidgeted in the car... once we got here though... we asked if there was any news, and when there was none we came to sit down. She's been like that ever since."

Kensi let out a sigh, looked over at Sam. "Go talk to her."

"Me?" Sam's voice went up a pitch that would have been comical had the situation not been so dire.

"You going to her might shock her enough to talk. Me, she'll just ignore as another female presence," Kensi said wisely. "Besides... while the rest of us here care for G, you two are the closest to him." She gave him a light push. "Go." Watching Sam go to sit beside Nell, she turned to Eric. "Coffee?" Eric nodded.

Kensi turned to her partner who, of all things, shook his head. She looked at him curiously but he made a motion of his hands and she knew he didn't want to discuss it. She let out a huff of air and he rolled his eyes as if to say _'don't be so dramatic.' _They could have entire conversations in looks and hand gestures, Kensi wondered when it happened that they could read each other so entirely that they no longer required words... especially when Deeks was such a big talker. As she walked by she grabbed his hand gave it a squeeze. They looked at each other, an understanding that she needed to go and he needed to stay, they both gave a subtle nod and she let go and she and Eric left the room.

::

Sam couldn't find words that would help the Intelligence Analyst that he had just sat down beside. He wondered if this was what Michelle felt like when she'd heard he had been caught in the blast of an explosion, when he'd lost nine years of memory. Luckily, he'd gotten it back, but it had been a horrible experience for everyone involved.

"He's strong," he said putting a big hand on her tiny shoulder. "Don't give up on him."

"I'm not!" He'd never heard Nell Jones yell before. There was angry indignation in her tone, offended that he would even say such a thing.

"Nell," he put up a hand in surrender. "I didn't... I'm sorry," he switched tactics halfway though.

Her gaze was hard, there was fury and hurt in her eyes, and worse than those there was longing, hope and love that were somehow much more painful for Sam to see under the circumstances.

She turned away from him and seemed to be slipping back away into her statuesque self. "Nell," he said again and she once more turned to him. "I'm scared too," he said softly. Her bottom lip protruded slightly and there was a fresh sheen to her eyes. "It's okay, Nell," he put an arm around her. "You don't have to be strong anymore."

Her lip quivered and she leaned into him. "I'm afraid if I start crying again, that I'll never stop."

He wanted to promise her that Callen would be okay, that he would get better, be good as new... but he couldn't. He couldn't make the words come out. He feared how untrue they would be, that he would be lying to a friend, he'd be lying to himself.

"We were talking," Nell said softly breaking Sam from his thoughts. "About the future, and what we wanted, and if we wanted marriage, and if we wanted kids... and we-" she took a shuddering inhale. "I can't loose_ him_, Sam."

"He's stubborn," Sam said. "And I know he'd fight to hold on, if for no other reason that to stay with you."

"And what if that isn't enough?" She voiced her fear.

"Then we will help pull each other through it," Sam replied his voice showing off the extent of his sadness.

::

Hetty came to them with news three hours later. She looked exhausted. Defeated.

The agents all stood, merged around her, worried eyes jumping around. Kensi leaned into Deeks as if seeking comfort, his arm went around her waist, to hell with what anyone thought about it. Sam had his arm around Nell's shoulders, Eric standing close to his partner.

They waited, growing impatient. "Well?" Kensi was the first to break.

Hetty drew in a breath, unable to stall the words she didn't want to say for any longer. "Mr Callen is still in surgery," she said looking up at the taller agents. "The damage to his body was... extensive."

Nell's knees seemed to have given out and she leaned heavily into Sam, Eric grabbing under her elbow the two men keeping her upright.

Kensi and Deeks looked to each other in the same moment, fear in their eyes. Together they could face druggies, arms dealers, human traffickers, terrorists and somehow... make it. But this wasn't something they could face head on, they couldn't go after someone they couldn't put their minds to work at fixing a puzzle of information. This was Callen, and his life was hanging in the balance. Kensi's hand covered the one that was around her waist, his fingers spreading to make room for hers. She gripped his hand hard and he squeezed hers back.

"They still don't know how extensive. Right now... they have two big worries. There is a large gash on his head." Hetty paused and Deeks moved slightly, taking Kensi with him to offer Hetty support, his hand going under her elbow since she looked unsteady, her face ashen from it's usual colour. She looked to him and gave a nod of thanks, she steeled herself. "They have... drilled a small hole to relieve the pressure from the swelling of his brain."

Nell let out a gasp, and with it came the sobs. How could she keep listening to this? How was this even happening? Just days ago they'd been talking about wanting to spend the rest of their lives together... could the universe be so cruel that only days after such a talk that it would take him away from her?

"Perhaps we should sit," Hetty said looking at the youthful, and obviously heartbroken Nell. Not that the rest of her team was fairing much better. She could see the tears that Kensi kept angrily swiping away. The way Deeks was comforting Kensi so he wouldn't have to deal with the weight of his own emotions. The way Eric and Sam did the same for Nell doing everything in their abilities to keep it together.

The group moved back into the waiting room and everyone took a seat around the coffee table. Kensi and Deeks on a small love-seat, Eric, Sam and Nell on a longer couch while Hetty stayed standing in front of a chair.

Hetty took in a breath. "They're obviously worried about his head injuries... but they're also worried about the internal bleeding they've been trying to stop from multiple origins. Every time they think they have the last one clamped, they find there is still blood where it shouldn't be." Hetty felt years older than she was. Decades. Centuries. This job weighed heavily on her. "His car was on it's roof when it was hit on his side... it adds additional risks to back injuries... possible paralysis."

Nell was sobbing openly by this point and Kensi had turned into Deeks's shoulder to hide her face as the tears started to fall and she could no longer just swipe them away. Sam rubbed his eyes surprised to find he too was getting teared up. Callen. Brain swelling. Possible brain injury. Internal bleeding, multiple wounds. Possible paralysis. All the words made sense, and yet they seemed wrong. _So very wrong_.

Eric looked over at Nell, the devastation upon her face. Then to Kensi who was turned into Deeks and the man seemed protective over her, his blue eyes hurt and filled with fury. Eric turned back to Hetty who had sat down and was rubbing her temples. "Did they tell you what his odds were?" he asked nervously. He worked better in numbers than words like those.

"No," Hetty responded. "He's got a few broken bones too, but they won't worry about them until they get the bleeding under control."

"Anything else we should know?" Sam asked.

"There is nothing more to tell, Sam," Hetty said sadly. "All we can do now is wait, and pray."

::

**Thanks for reading! **


	49. Chapter 49

**Almost fifteen pages long, I do believe this is the longest chapter, but I'm going away for a week and a bit (**_**I'll be back to posting June 12) **_**so I figured I'd dish out a good long piece. I'm not entirely sure if tissues are necessary, but you might want to have one handy. **

::

Kensi kept herself busy making coffee runs the second someone put down an empty mug. She was terrified for the man still in surgery. She'd known Callen for years, he'd been her training agent. They'd faced hell together, and came out on top. They'd bonded into a friendship, something Callen didn't do often and Kensi was rather proud to be able to call him friend.

They'd worked together, joked together, drank together. They'd mocked each other over driving skills, eaten day old pizza after a case, sat through lectures and compliance tests. She might not know him as well as Sam did, or as well as Nell, but she loved him as a friend, as an honorary brother. He was someone she knew she could rely on. She knew without doubt that no matter what he would be on her side.

She thought of those trust exercises, she knew she could fall and that no matter what, he'd catch her. There was nothing for her to do here though but wait. She couldn't do anything at this point to help. She put the mug of coffee down on the counter, the weight of it, like her worries and fear, became too much to bare. With no one around she finally let go of everything, dropped to the floor and cried.

::

Deeks was working on a Sudoku puzzle in a newspaper, he'd gotten several of the numbers in before he just ended up staring blankly at it, lost in his own worries. Callen had to be okay. Right? Deeks had always thought of Callen as invincible, when he'd first seen the bullet marks on the senior agent's chest it challenged that thought and now this accident was proving the fact that G Callen was like every other man. He could get hurt. He could die.

Deeks cleared his throat of the lump that had been forming. He adjusted the newspaper with a snap and went back to staring at the Sudoku puzzle, the pencil in his hand moving over the blocks as he fought to keep his thoughts on the paper before him and not on the man down the hall fighting for his life.

Callen had given him a hard time when he'd first come to OSP, hell, all the agents had. Once he'd proven himself though, Callen had backed off... mostly. Callen would yell at him while he was sparing with Kensi or Sam. He would make some off handed comment while they were in the gun range about how he held his gun, or about posture and then he'd leave. Deeks had been a little offended at first, wondering if he was getting hazed, or if Callen really just wanted him to leave... but he took Callen's words while he was sparing, he adjusted his stance oh-so-slightly in the gun range. Bam. Sam was on the floor. His standing changed in the field too from Callen's remarks and his pivot from it was that much better, just a fraction quicker, and a fraction of a second can be the difference between you shooting the criminal, and the criminal shooting you.

It was Callen's way of showing he cared, if he could help you protect yourself, keep yourself and your partner safer in the field. Callen' would never say in so many words that he cared, but he would show it in his own obscure way.

Deeks had completed the undercover operation. They'd gotten the marines. They'd gotten Holt. None of it made him feel any better. None of it kept Callen from being in the hospital. He shook his head and wrote a seven into a square.

Deeks cared about Callen despite not exactly knowing where he stood with the other man. Being the last man to join the agents, being the LAPD/NCIS liaison that took over the spot of a dead green agent was hard. Deeks figured he could call Callen a friend, he knew he could call him up in an emergency and the senior agent would be there. So Deeks would be here for him, the only thing he could do was sit in this hospital room, still dressed in his 'junkie' wear, than that was what he'd do.

::

Eric had gone outside, unable to sit in the hospital any longer. The stagnant hospital air was driving him nuts. Then again, so was Deeks's unnatural stare at the newspaper, the silence from the detective was abnormal and just highlighted how bad things were. So did the way Sam was staring at the doors as if the doctor was due out any second. Or the way Kensi kept leaving the room the second someone was out of coffee. Nell had tired herself out crying and was curled up into a little ball on half of the couch, she seemed so small, so frail, and so utterly devastated. Hetty was sitting statuesque, much like Nell had earlier, and all of it had become too much for Eric to watch.

He pulled out his phone and dialled in Bethany's number.

"_Hello,"_ she answered.

"Hey Beth," Eric said and his voice cracked halfway through her name.

"_Eric,"_ she responded, he could hear her music playing in the background. _"What's up?" _

He hadn't thought of why he had called. He had simply wanted, no, needed to hear her voice. Work had once again gotten in the way of _them_. And he knew she was disappointed that he had missed dinner. Knowing her she'd likely gone all out, spent the entire afternoon cooking and baking deserts, setting a table with a cloth, the good china and a set of candles for ambience. She'd probably spent hours doing her hair, picking out a dress. It was just who she was. And then he hadn't come. He hadn't even called, she'd had to call him. _Worried. _And now Callen was in the hospital, and Nell... they'd been planning their life, waiting for moments to happen, taking steps together. He couldn't help but feel he'd taken Bethany for granted, he of all people should know just how quickly something can be taken away.

"_Eric?"_ Bethany asked again, the music dying. _"Eric? Are you okay?" _

"I love you," he said as he leaned back against the hospital walls. "I'm so sorry I didn't make it to dinner."

"_I love you too,"_ Bethany responded, her voice like a sigh. _"Is something the matter? You don't sound like yourself." _

What could he say? "There was an accident," he said softly. A car accident was normal. It wasn't as if one of the agents had come in contact with some kind of bio-hazard and was in quarantine.

"_Who?" _

"Callen," he responded.

There was silence and he could see her dropping down into one of her bean bag chairs. _"How bad?"_ she asked quietly.

He was a little surprised to feel wetness on his cheek and looked up half expecting it to have started raining. He wiped it away. A tear. "Bad," he finally managed to say.

"_What hospital?" _

"Stay home, Beth," Eric said softly. "There isn't anything that can be done here."

"_But it's where you are." _

He couldn't figure out what he'd done to deserve such unwavering loyalty from her. "Olympia," he finally said.

"_I'll be there within the hour." _

::

Sam Hanna knew death. He'd lost a lot of friends, men he'd fought beside and could call brothers. None of those men were even close to the 'brother' status that G Callen held though. They'd been through a lot in their years as partners, they'd bonded early on even despite Callen's reluctance to do so. They'd only gotten better with time.

They trusted each other explicitly. Callen let Sam through the barriers so few even seen glimpses of. Sam trusted Callen with the thing that meant most to him, his family. Callen became so interwoven into his life that Sam couldn't imagine his life without his partner, his friend, his brother.

Sam was going to have Callen be his best man at his second wedding. Callen was talking just days ago about proposing to Nell, and God, Sam was happy for them. Finally, Callen finding someone to share his life with, to let down all the barriers for, and to just... finally live.

The job was dangerous, and it held no promises.

Sam looked over at Nell, she was curled into a tiny ball, her eyes were open, but blank as she stared at the table that was stacked with newspapers and magazines. It was terrifying to think of just how quickly a week could change, a day, an hour, a _minute_. You could be here one day, and gone the next. Tailing a car isn't the most dangerous of assignments, and yet Callen... Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose.

He remembered promising to call Michelle when they got back to the office, he stood and walked out of the hospital through the back doors, he looked around and only seen a nurse on her break eating an apple. He went in the opposite direction and pulled out his phone, dialling in the familiar number.

"_Sam!"_ Michelle's voice held a breath of relief. _"I expected a phone call hours ago!" _

"Sorry," he said hanging his head.

There was silence for a minute. _"What is it?"_ Michelle's voice was quiet.

"The kids there with you?" he asked.

"_No, they went to bed hours ago," _Michelle responded.

Sam looked around, and then to his watch. It was later than he'd expected.

"_Sam, you're scaring me," _she said softly.

"It's G," he said.

"_Is he..." __**Dead.**_

Even she couldn't bring herself to ask, but he could hear the unsaid word. "He's alive."

"_What... is... how..."_ Michelle was in shock and having trouble stringing the sentence together.

"Car accident..." he said. "Mitch," he sat down on the curb and looked out to the full parking lot. "It's bad. He's still being operated on, and it's been _hours_. I don't know..." he couldn't even bring himself to say it, he needed to be strong, to have faith but all the news so far had sounded so grim.

"_He's going to pull through,"_ Michelle told him with utmost faith and it was exactly what he needed to hear. _"I can get your mom to come over and watch the kids." _

"No," Sam said. "Stay with them..."

"_I understand,"_ Michelle said softly, they knew each other well. When Sam went off on missions wether in the past with the SEALS or with NCIS, Michelle was the rock at home that gave the children a sense of stability_. "Should I tell them anything?" _

"No, not yet," Sam decided. Zachary and Zoe loved their Uncle G. There was no point in worrying them pre-maturely. Maybe by the time Hetty ordered him home to shower and sleep there would be good news to tell. "I should get back in..." he didn't want to miss the news when it finally came. "I love you."

"_I love you too, Sam. Stay strong, G needs you." _

::

_Get Abs in Six Weeks. _

_Hair Loss? No Problem!_

_Is Your Child Dyslexic?_

_Stories From Parents Who Have Been There._

_Easy To Bake After School Snacks- They're Nutritious Too!_

Nell's eyes kept going over the words on the front of magazines that sat on the table. Abs? Hair loss? Dyslexia? Parental stories? SNACKS? They were operating on Callen, they probably had his chest ripped open as they tried to stop the bleeding for internal organs and these were suppose to help her pass the time? Ease her fears? Stupid magazines. Stupid smiling faces of happy women who'd lost fifteen pounds on some stupid diet. Stupid goofy man with a head full of thick hair. Stupid nutritional facts about stupid snacks.

Her eyes did a trip around the room. Hetty was unmoving. Sam, Eric and Kensi had left to stretch their legs, or likely call up their significant others. Nell couldn't call. _He couldn't answer. _

Her eyes went to the door. _Stupid door_. It didn't open. No one came to tell them what was going on. Why was there no news? Something had to have happened by now. Something. Something. Something. ANYTHING?

She tightened her grip on her ribs holding them tightly, hugging herself. She wished it was his arms, that he'd hold her, that he'd kiss her head and tell her everything was going to be okay. She pressed her lips into a thin line to keep the awful grieving sound at bay.

Kensi returned first, she put a coffee down in front of Deeks but he didn't notice until her hand came down on his shoulder. He looked up at her, and Nell could see the sheen of tears in his eyes. She felt like she was intruding on a moment and looked away. She couldn't watch it, couldn't take it.

Sam returned ten minutes after that, he still looked as if the weight of the world was resting on his broad shoulders. He sat down and looked over at her. Neither had anything to say, there were no words of comfort left. There was understanding though, Sam settled into the seat and Nell let out a sigh.

Eric returned a bit after that, Bethany at his side. Nell felt bitter, he had someone to lean on and she felt as if she'd lost all of her balance, had fallen out of a plane and was plummeting through the open air with out a parachute.

The door opened again, and Nell looked at the new comer. Nate. Hetty stood and they conversed for a few moments, she'd obviously been the one to call him. He nodded. Hetty talked with her hands. Nate seemed to deflate, a hand ran through his hair an he turned away from his colleagues and walked to a near by window, his hands flattening against the ledge. Hetty patted his arm and returned to the circle giving the psychologist a moment to pull himself together.

::

Dawn was approaching when Doctor Zhu _finally_ came to them. The man looked weary. "Family of G Callen?"

Sam extended a hand to Nell and helped pull her to her feet, Nate taking her other side and everyone merged in around the doctor desperate to hear news.

"We are," Hetty said softly.

"We finally got that last hiding bleeder. I'm not going to lie, he's not out of the clear yet. We lost him, twice during surgery. His brain is still swelled but the internal bleeding is cleared up and we're working on completing blood transfusion. We've taken him for x-rays to see just what was broken in the accident. He's not out of the woods, but he's still alive."

Everyone was silently absorbing the information. He wasn't in the clear. Not by a long shot. He was alive but they all knew just how quickly that could change.

Doctor Zhu could offer no more and returned to work. Hetty ordered everyone home, get showered, get some sleep.

No one left.

::

On the second day Hetty ordered everyone home to shower, hands on her hips she was unrelenting. Nate would take first watch and would call everyone back with any news. He hadn't gotten any.

On the third day they were eating subs and drinking sodas that Deeks had brought in. They all ate, or tried too, no one had much of an appetite. Empty soda cans, and half eaten subs stayed on the table.

On the fourth day the doctors had more news. The brain swelling had started to recede. This was good news and everyone held on to the glimmer of hope.

On the fifth day they were allowed to go in and see him. Despite it going against protocols, Dr Zhu, who knew they were all agents and worked under NCIS allowed them all in as long as they maintained space for doctors go get in incase of emergency.

Hetty took Nell's hand and they went in first, Hetty gave Nell's hand a pat as she went to one side of the bed, and Nell took the other. Kensi and Deeks stood by Hetty. Eric, Nate and Sam by Nell.

Callen looked terrible. Nell placed a hand over his fingers which was all she could get of his hand that had a cast over his wrist and halfway up his forearm. The left side of his head was completely shaved gauze over it. His nose must have been broken in the crash because there was more gauze over it. His left leg from the knee down was in a cast. He looked so pale. So deathly still.

On the sixth day, he didn't look any better, but he didn't look any worse.

A week from the accident the team was anxious and worried that he hadn't woken. The doctors were talking about doing brain scans, worried the trauma and swelling might have left him with brain damage.

"Hey G," Nell said, she always talked to him holding his hand. "I was looking through a catalogue," her voice was soft. "I think I found the perfect couches." It was a lie, but she just needed to talk to him, the words she wanted to say, the words she needed to say couldn't be said. She couldn't make them come out with all their friends gathered around. She couldn't say them in fear he'd never get to say them back. "And I'm thinking about the flowers for those pots. How do you feel about lavender? It's such a pretty purple, and it smells so nice." She felt as if she was talking for the hell of it, but what if he could hear her? And if he could hear her, than no matter what she was saying, he'd know she was there, and that was what mattered.

There was a spike in his heart monitor and everyone in the room looked at it. It happened from time to time. At first they had thought it meant he was waking. Now they waited and again, nothing happened.

"Come on G," Nell whispered resting her weary head on his arm. "Wake up."

::

Nell feared if she left he'd wake when she wasn't there. Now she left in hopes that he would. _Awake was awake_. She showered, grabbed her bag but froze before leaving. Their answering machine was blinking. She pressed play.

'_Haven't heard from you in a while, hon!'_ Susan's voice filled the room. _'Hope everything is going okay at work! Say hello to Gregory for me! Love you honey!' _Her knees knocked together and she fell to the floor ungracefully. A breath escaped her and she pushed a hand through her still wet from the shower hair. She needed to get up. Get to the hospital. Hold his hand. Pull him through this, _somehow_.

Instead she reached for the phone and pulled it out of it's cradle and called the long distance number. It rang and it rang, but no one was home. The answering machine was generic and Nell hung up quickly. There was no comfort to be found there. She'd go to the hospital, and be with those who understood.

::

Sam was sprawled out on the couch in the waiting room when Nell returned. "Morning Sam."

"Morning Nell," he responded sitting up.

"I'm a little later than usual," she said. "Where is everyone?"

"Renko was in last night," Sam said. "Had to go back into the office, same as Hetty. Kensi went to the bathroom, she's drank more coffee in the past half hour than I think she usually does in a week. Eric went to get some sleep. Deeks..." Sam looked around. "I'm not sure where he went, he just got up and left..."

"Nate?"

"He got a call this morning," Sam shrugged. "Looked eight kinds of pissed about it, but..."

Nell nodded and dropped down into the seat feeling exhausted. She'd only gone home for a few hours, Sam had told her to get some sleep, but she couldn't go to sleep in the bed that she shared with Callen... not while he wasn't there, not while he was in a hospital like this.

"Any news?" she asked nervously.

"They took him in for an MRI, waiting for results."

"Think they'll let me in to see him?" she asked as she stood. She needed to see Callen with her own eyes, see that he was still alive.

Sam nodded and got up as Deeks and Kensi returned. "Hey Nell," Kensi said hugging the smaller woman.

"Hey Kens, Marty," she greeted and he managed a smile and slight head nod for her.

"Lets go see him," Sam nodded his head and the four of them stalked off toward the room.

No matter who opened the door, there was always a pause. A second of fear that rippled through them. Nell pushed through and opened the door stepping over the threshold first. "Good morning G," she said with as much cheer as she could muster. Her hands touched his fingers. She bent, her lips by his ear and whispered. "I missed you, I love you, please come back to me," she moved just slightly, placed a kiss on his cheek and sat down in the chair right behind her, her hands never leaving his.

"I think he looks better today," Deeks said conversationally. "Little more colour."

Kensi thought he looked the same as he had for the past several days, only now the gauze over his nose had lessened, and the bandage around his head seemed thicker. "Yeah, me too," she lied as she leaned into him. If it gave him hope, why not?

"Hear that G?" Nell said with a hint of a tease. "Deeks thinks you look good." She shot a look at the detective. "Should I be worried?"

"Na, I'll let you keep him," Deeks bantered back with a half grin. "Look at him, so high maintenance."

"Says the guy with the fluffy hair," Sam got in on it.

"Kensi takes longer than me!"

"I'm a girl!" Kensi defended.

"Shhh," Deeks responded putting a finger over her lips.

"Remember what happened last time you did this?" Kensi said.

Deeks swallowed. "You used my head to open the door." Kensi kept glaring and Deeks lowered his hand.

They sat bantering around, mostly just to keep the familiar voices around Callen going.

"Zoe and Zack keep asking about him," Sam said. "Keep asking why he hasn't been around. They notice the tension in Mitch and I." Sam frowned. "I keep hoping that I can postpone it. That when I finally have to tell them, there will be something good to tell."

They kept talking, all of them. Kensi talked about an article she'd read about heart defects. Deeks made a comment about how she gave him one whenever she walked in the room, he received a punch to the arm and it was all so normal that it almost hurt.

Around noon Eric walked in and joined them. "We should probably get something to eat," Deeks said. "I have this feeling Hetty's going to come in at any second and give us our marching orders."

"Rightfully so, Mr Deeks." Hetty said walking in.

Deeks made a gesture of his hands accompanied by the wonder and confusion upon his face that clearly read, _'how does she do that?' _

"I've given you all time off to deal with this, as a family," Hetty said. "But I can't have more of you being in the hospital with malnutrition!" Hetty shook her head. "You need to all take care of yourselves too. Go, eat. I'll watch him."

They all looked at each other, and as much as no one wanted to leave, they knew better than to disobey Hetty. Standing they waited for Nell who always took a second to say hello when she came in and goodbye when she left. They pretended not to be paying attention, but with only the sounds of the monitors they all heard.

"We're going to get something to eat," Nell said, her mouth close to his ear. "Hetty's orders. You know how it is." There was a smile in her voice, a hint of humour she only hoped he could appreciate. "I'll be back soon. I love you."

As always she pressed her lips to his cheek and went to pull her hand away but his fingers had a loose grip on hers.

She froze and everyone looked at her confused as to why she wasn't coming.

"G?" She whispered. "G," louder this time. "Can you hear me?" She wanted him to be able to hear. She wanted him to be waking. She wanted this to be real, and not some muscle reflex.

She went to move her hand but the hand tightened just slightly, then his thumb moved a bit in the confines of it's cast. "Did you see that?" She looked at them and pointed to his hand, everyone crowded the bed. "G? Come on, squeeze my hand again. Please."

His hand loosened and she nearly cried, but then it tightened again around hers and they all seen it.

"I'll get a doctor," Eric said rushing out.

Nell pushed past Sam and pulled the blanket covering his legs and feet up. His left leg was sporting a cast from the knee down, but his toes were free, and his right leg had come out with only scratches. "G, can you move your toes for me?"

Possible paralysis still hung in the air.

Nothing.

"G. Come on, wiggle your toes," Nell begged. "G? Please." She couldn't tell if he wasn't doing it because he couldn't, or because he'd lost consciousness once again. "G? Squeeze my hand." Nothing. She felt the tears fall. "Come on, G!" she cried out of frustration and Sam's hand's on her shoulders stopped her from shaking her lover.

Doctor Zhu shooed them out as he did an examination of his patient, and even Hetty who'd been adamant about taking care of her other agents stood in the hallway, all of them eager for the doctor to come out, and hopefully tell them more.

They nearly swarmed the good doctor when he immerged. He put up his hands in defence. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't get him to respond. It might have been a muscle reflex."

"No," Nell said shaking her head, her choppy brunette locks swinging with the movement. "No," she whispered.

"It might have been a honest response," Doctor Zhu understood the importance of hope, he also understood the importance of being honest with the loved ones of patients. "The fact is, I can't tell. We need him lucid long enough to determine any memory loss, but his brain scans look good considering the circumstances."

"Can I see him?" Nell asked. The doctor barely nodded before Nell was pushing past and re-entering the room. Lunch wasn't going to happen. Slowly everyone filed back in, took their seats once more.

"So how about those Lakers," Sam said.

::

Nell wasn't sure how she was suppose to separate from him to go to their home, putter around their house, she'd look at the bed and be unable to fall into it. She might just take apart the toaster just to see why he did it.

She stared at his face. The doctors had taken off the bandage over his nose, and replaced it. She'd stayed in while they replaced the gauze around his head. The gash was awful, and there was bruising all around it. She braced herself, this was her man and she wasn't leaving.

Dr Zhu finished up and gave her a nod which she returned before she took his hand again. The door was ever revolving, Sam came in first. Eric a minute later. Kensi and Deeks with fresh cups of coffee for everyone ten minute after that.

Renko walked in an hour later with pizza. "Figured you guys might be hungry," he said opening it. "Come on G, I know you want a slice," he taunted as if the man might wake for one.

Deeks's stomach rumbled loudly and everyone chuckled. Pizza was passed around and quickly devoured.

"How's you partner's knee?" Sam asked remembering the awkward way Angela had gone down after a hit.

"Fine, something got knocked out of place," Renko said finishing off his slice. "Cooper knocked it back into place. She cursed a blue streak, but she's back to being a pain in my ass again." Sam shook his head and smiled, as much as Renko complained about his partner, Sam could see how well they actually complimented each other in the field. Renko's beeper went off and he frowned. "I got to go," he said standing he tapped the side of Callen's good foot since he was at the end of the bed. "You still owe me a bottle of Scotch, you better not welsh." Renko waited a second, as if half expecting a response. He sighed. "G'night guys."

There were waves and 'bye's' as he exited the room. Silence but for the monitors took over the room. And people started to fall asleep in their chairs.

::

Nell awoke to Callen's fingers tightening around hers. "G!" She shot up out of her chair and the screech of the metal legs waking the others from various stages of sleep. "G!" she called out again.

Sam stood worriedly, but there was excitement, not fear in Nell's voice. He looked to their hands. Kensi, Deeks and Eric gathering around.

All his fingers wiggled in the confines of the cast. He had broken three fingers on his other hand and they were splinted but Kensi grabbed onto his thumb and he wiggled it slightly for her. She looked over and grinned at Nell.

"Hey G," Sam said pulling up the blankets like they had before to look at his feet. "Can you move your toes?"

_**Nothing. **_

Sam looked worriedly over at Deeks who was grinning, Sam followed the detective's eyes, his foot that wasn't in a cast moved a little and then a his one toe moved a bit. The two men shared a grin.

"Hey Handsome, open those blue eyes for me," Nell begged her hand gripping his as his fingers wiggled in her hand.

He didn't open his eyes, but there was a slight one sided smirk that slowly came on his face, and everyone looked at each other with hope filled eyes.

"Come on, please G, open them," Nell begged.

Callen's eyes opened just slightly and immediately closed again.

"Come on, G," Kensi said.

"Don't be a tease," Deeks insisted.

"Lets see them blues," Sam prompted.

"Open them Callen," Eric said.

His eyes opened again, closed. He blinked a few times quickly. His eyes found Nell's. "Welcome back," she cried.

Callen opened his mouth but no sound came out. He closed it again, tried again. Sound, but it was nothing more than noise. He looked agitated by it and squeezed her hand sending an almost frightened look.

"Eric," Nell said looking at the man who was closest to the door. "Get Doctor Zhu."

Doctor Zhu came in with Eric, and this time didn't bother to even attempt to shoo the agents from the room. "Mr Callen," Dr Zhu greeted. "You've given us all quite the scare. Can you move your toes?"

Callen's toes responded with a wiggle.

"Excellent. Can you squeeze your lovely Nell's hand."

Nell smiled as Callen's hand tightened around hers. He smiled at her and she started crying, though finally it was for joy.

"What about your other one," Dr Zhu prompted. "Can you move your thumb for Miss Blye?"

Callen's thumb moved and Kensi beamed. "Hey, G," she said softly, but there was excitement in her voice. After so many days of nothing, here he was, awake.

"Can you tell me your full name?" Dr Zhu requested.

Callen opened his mouth. "Ahl" He closed his mouth. "Ca-" the words got caught and he coughed.

Dr Zhu turned and got a glass of water and a straw. "Here, take a sip, it'll help."

Callen did as he was told. "Cal-" he took a breath. "Len."

It didn't matter the second between the syllables. "Mr Callen, do you know all the people in this room?"

"N-ell," Callen said. "Ken-si." He took a breath and tried to move but didn't manage to get far. "Marty," he took another breath. "Sam." Another breath. "Er-ic." He looked at the doctor. "Zhu."

"Seems like his memory is all there," Dr Zhu said with a smile. "I'll call Hetty."

Callen turned to Nell, and she smiled gazing down lovingly into his blue eyes, eyes she had feared she'd never see so lively and azure again. She choked up unable to speak, but he was smiling so she guessed he didn't mind.

::

G Callen had gone through plenty of pain in his lifetime. He'd ended up in plenty of hospitals. He couldn't quite remember what had happened to him to lead him here, but he did know that a lot of things couldn't move. His fingers on his one hand seemed to be splinted, his left leg in a cast as well as his right wrist. He could feel gauze wrapped around his ribs, over his right shoulder, around his head.

Morphine. _Beautiful. _He knew he should be in more pain, but he just wasn't.

His friends around him seemed euphoric looking at him, and he couldn't help but smile. Nell's eyes were filled with tears, but there was a smile. He's scared her, he realized, but she was happy now. He'd have to make it up to her.

Dr Zhu asked him to move, and Callen did, the doctor seemed pleased. Dr Zhu asked him questions and he answered despite the shallowness of his breath. He left the room to talk to Hetty.

Callen turned to Nell, and she was smiling looking radiant. Beautiful and kind and he didn't know what happened, he didn't know how long he'd been out for, but he knew that he'd missed her somehow. She opened her mouth, but seemed too choked up to speak.

He couldn't help but smile at her. He'd missed her. He loved her so much. What if he, in... whatever happened to him, had died? What if he'd never had the chance to tell her how much he loved her? He wasn't sure what all the monitors meant, and he wasn't sure if he was in the clear or still in intensive care. He wasn't sure if he'd slip into a coma, or have some kind of problem or infection and pass on. He couldn't have the regret of it hanging over him. He wasn't afraid of death, but God he was afraid of losing her.

He couldn't go on with a big speech, he didn't have the lung capacity for it. If he pulled through he promised himself he'd spend the rest of his life telling her, showing her just how much he cared, how she was the one for him, how he couldn't bare a world with out her in it, how he would do anything for her.

He took in a deep breath, or as deep as he could currently manage before opening his mouth, hoping his eyes showed just how much he cared, because he couldn't string together more words. "Mar-ry me," he said.

The room went silent for a second, but Nell's smile only got bigger, tears of happiness streaming down her face. "Yes."

"No ri-ng," Callen managed.

"I don't need some stupid ring, I just want you," she responded kissing him gently, ever mindful of his injuries.

"Lo-ve you," he breathed out and almost deflated with the worry of not getting to tell her.

"I love you, G," Nell cried out of happiness.

Eric, Deeks and Sam shared a grin, Kensi's hands clasped and she bounced just slightly with her joy.

Callen's eyes fluttered shut and it was obvious he couldn't handle any more excitement.

Nell and Kensi shared happy looks and they all settled back down into their chairs, eagerly awaiting the next time Callen would wake.

_And now they were all sure, that he would. _

::

**Thank you for reading, and look for chapter 50 when I return ****June 12****th****! **

_( holy crap, chapter 50!) _


	50. Chapter 50

**And here's chapter 50! Thank you to everyone who's supported me with their lovely reviews, you're the fuel to this fire!**

::

Nell's thumb kept running over the knuckles of Callen's casted hand. He hadn't woken again and it had been close to five hours. Nell's lips were pressed into a thin line of worry. Kensi and Deeks were sitting on a tiny two seater bench that hardly fit them both, but they'd leaned together, Kensi's head on his shoulder, and his head resting on her soft brown waves. They looked so sweet like that. Eric had fallen asleep too right after Dr Zhu's last check up and re-bandage which had been close to three hours ago, and Nell knew he would have a wicked ache in his neck from how it was right over the back of the seat.. Sam had gone home to tell his children, now that Callen had awoken once, he finally had the good news to tell his children along with the obvious bad.

Nell's mind was on the proposal. Did he really mean it, or was that the morphine talking? She wasn't sure, and either way she was okay so long as he woke again.

"Hey Handsome," she whispered as not to wake the others. "You've been sleeping for days," she informed him. "Come on, wake up again. Don't leave me here worrying about you." Her words did nothing to wake him. Her thumb continued it's journey over the subtle bumps of his knuckles. "I miss you," she whispered.

She might have been by his side for days, but this was just his body, and she missed the man. She missed the way he'd stroke her hair before bed, or the way she'd wake and hear clanging in the kitchen and know her toaster was getting taken apart. She missed the stolen glances at work, the little smiles and the subtle brush ups. She missed his eyes, the way they just seemed to look right into her soul, she missed his voice all of it's lilts and his articulation. She missed his laughter, and his smile. She missed their talks and his arms around her.

Tears had made an encore appearance and she wiped them away. "Come on G," she whispered. "Wake up."

::

Sam shut the door to his car and locked it with the remote. He walked along the flat stones to the deck, pausing a moment. The lush lawn was now the overgrown lawn. He sighed heavily, just another thing to add to his growing to-do list.

He walked up the stairs across the porch and used his keys to get in the front door. "Mitch?" he called out, but it was Zoe who dashed around the corner into the little entrance area and tackled his leg. "Hey Zoe."

"Hey Dad, I missed you! Where were you?"

"I missed you too," he said avoiding the question as he kicked off his shoes. "Where's your Mom?"

"She's in the laundry room," Zoe said. "I'm helping," she said pointing a thumb at herself and looking rather proud with her chin slightly raised.

"Good job," Sam said ruffling her hair, which earned him a sharp look and Zoe immediately went to fixing it. He smiled. "And your brother?"

"He's doing his homework in the kitchen," Zoe said tugging on her father's hand leading the way through the kitchen area.

"Hey Dad," Zachary greeted

"Hey," Sam responded tiredly. "What you working on?"

"Dinosaurs," Zachary responded with a smile.

"Sam," Michelle shut the door that separated the laundry space from the kitchen as she walked in. She looked at him expectantly, wanting news on Callen's condition and yet unable to ask since the children were in the room.

"Zoe," Sam said instead of answering. "Why don't you take a seat."

"I don't have homework," Zoe argued with a pout. "I don't go to school yet."

"I still need you to sit down for a minute, I need to talk to you and your brother."

Zoe looked over at her brother worriedly but then turned and climbed up on the chair, sitting on her knees so she'd get a better view over the table. Michelle sat down across from her daughter and Sam put his hands down on the back of the chair at the head of the table. He looked at Zoe and then Michelle who had mirrored worry on their faces. Zachary looked confused and a little curious.

"I know you kids have been asking about your Uncle G," Sam said. Zoe started to pout and Zachary's eyes narrowed.

Michelle stood and walked over the extra step to stand by her husband, one hand going to his back and the other covering one of his hands. They looked at each other for a second before turning their combined attention to the children.

"Where is he?" Zachary asked. "Did he move away?" At this thought Zoe's big eyes started to water.

"No, no, no," Sam said. "He didn't move. He wouldn't move without telling you two."

Zoe rubbed her eyes with fists and then stared at her father. "Where is he?"

Sam felt Michelle's hand run small circles on his back, she was there, they could handle this, together.

"G was in a car accident," Sam informed his children. "He's in the hospital."

"He's... he's okay?" Zachary looked desperately to his father for reassurance. "Right Dad?"

Sam took in a deep breath. "He broke some bones."

"Alex Lauder in my grade broke his arm, he's fine," Zachary said seriously.

"He hit his head, and they had to do surgery on him, but... he woke up briefly today," he looked to Michelle. "Moved his toes." Michelle let out a breath and a little smile formed, she knew this was good news.

"I can move my toes," Zoe said wiggling them under her. "Of course Uncle G could move his."

Sam decided to avoid the 'possible paralysis' with his daughter now that he knew Callen wasn't paralysed. "He got hurt pretty bad," Sam told them. "He's going to have to stay in the hospital for a while until he feels better... but he's going to be okay." Sam felt relief just saying that out loud. _Callen would be okay_.

Zoe bit her lip looking pensive for a moment and then scooted off her chair, her little socked feet hitting the tiles in the kitchen. "We got paper right Dad?"

"Um... yeah," Sam said perplexed of his daughter's line of thinking.

"Zack, let's make cards for Uncle G," Zoe said looking at her brother, she then turned to her parents. "They'll make him feel good faster!"

Michelle leaned into her husband and his arm around her waist, he pulled her closer. The children ran out excitedly to get the supplies they would need. Sam smiled watching after them. "They take after you," he said to her. "All heart."

She smiled. "I think they take more after you than you realize."

::

When Callen awoke for the second time, it was punctuated by accelerated beeps of a quickened heartbeat. He'd opened his eyes but he didn't seem to be seeing anything, still lost in the haze of a dream. His fingers had clenched around Nell's and she's woken from her half-sleep. "G! G, I'm here," she said her hand running over the gauze on his head, and down his cheek, her thumb running lightly along his bruised jaw line. "I'm here," she whispered over and over like a mantra.

"He okay?" Deeks stood carefully moving Kensi who, after so long of half-sleeps was finally out like a rock, her head lolled against the back of the bench and Deeks came to stand on the opposite side of Callen than Nell.

"I don't know," Nell said.

Callen frowned and looked at Deeks, he blinked a few times and looked around the room. "What happened?" he asked.

"You were in a car accident, man," Deeks said running a hand through his thick and longer than usual blonde hair.

Callen loosened his grip on Nell's hand and then gripped it with gentleness, his thumb running along her fingers. "Acci-dent?"

"Yeah, G," Nell said. "You were tailing a suspect," she said wondering if it would jog his memory. Dr Zhu had told them that there was a good chance that he wouldn't remember anything from the accident, he might not even remember anything from that entire day. They were worried about his memory, but since he'd recognized everyone, they'd taken it as a very good sign.

"Oh," Callen replied.

Nell looked at his heart rate monitor, it had gone down slightly, but considering the man was an agent it seemed a little high to her. She studied his face for signs of pain, but didn't find any, he was gazing at her a little smile forming on his face. "I love... you," he said, his breathing patterns still hadn't returned to normal, but Nell knew this would take time, his lungs needed time to heal.

"I love you too," Nell replied with a smile.

Callen's eyes still looked tired to her, but they also had that spark of life in them. He smiled at her. He took a deep breath that hurt him and he winced. "I want to spend my life... with you Nell." He took another deep breath and there was a second subtle wince. "Will you... marry me?"

Nell's eyebrows drew down. Didn't he remember he already asked? She shot a worried look to Deeks who was smiling. She looked back down at Callen with a large smile on her face. "Of course, G, I love you."

"I don't have... a ring," he said worriedly.

It was so like the first time it hurt, but she smiled. "I don't need a ring," she said. "I just want you."

He smiled. "Hey Deeks?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you get me... some coffee?" Callen asked.

"Yeah, sure," Deeks lied with a smile, noting the man's tired eyes but still wondered if this was to get rid of the only still awake person in the room. "I'll be back soon," he shot a wink in Nell's direction. "Congratulations, love birds," he said ducking out the door.

Callen yawned, and Nell pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Why don't you rest your eyes until Marty comes back."

As hard as he was trying he could barely keep them open any longer anyways, so he did just that. "Thank you, Nell," he whispered just as he was dozing off.

She smiled and sat back down in her chair, her hand staying in his.

::

Nell told Dr Zhu about the numerous proposals, he had smiled. "Don't worry about it Miss Jones," he'd told her. He'd gone on to explain that Callen was still working his way back to full consciousness. It was likely the first time he hadn't even remembered waking, and if he had any blurred bits of memory from it, he'd likely write it off as a wisp of a dream.

She'd received five proposals by the time he'd started waking and staying conscious for a few hours. And now fully awake, he kept the proposals to himself. He didn't remember them, and Nell had told their friends not to remind him. She wanted him to do it in his own time, when he was fully conscious, not as a side effect to a car accident and Morphine.

Nell sat by Callen's side skimming through a home decor magazine as he slept. The room had been quiet, Kensi and Deeks had gone to see if Eric and Bethany wanted to go to dinner with them. Hetty had been in during the morning, but Callen hadn't woken while she'd been there. He hadn't woken for Renko when he'd come around noon either. The door opened and she turned to see Sam walking in.

"How is it outside?" Nell asked.

"You should go check for yourself," Sam advised. "It's been a while since you've been out of here." He knew she'd been showering at the hospital and Kensi had been enabling her to by bringing the analyst clean clothing.

Nell shook her head. "I don't want to miss being here when he wakes." She looked at his hand. "What's that?" she asked pointing.

"Get well cards," Sam said. "I told Zack and Zoe last night," he said passing her the cards. "Zoe just jumps off her chair and goes straight for the construction paper and glitter."

Nell smiled looking down at the cards, but didn't opened them because she heard rustling of sheets. She quickly passed them back to Sam and stood over Callen her hand going over his fingers. "G?"

He groaned. Nell knew he was getting less and less Morphine. "Hey," he said. He clenched his teeth in pain as he moved trying to get into a more comfortable position.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

He was quiet for a second taking a tally of his injuries. "Fine," he decided after a minute. He lifted the hand with splinted fingers and studied them he then lifted his leg with the heavy cast about an inch and dropped it. He looked to his broken forearm and to the fingers that were interlocked with Nell's. "What happened?"

"Car accident," she told him, just as she had before.

"Car accident," he repeated. He took his hand from hers and he touched his nose and winced. "I broke... my nose?"

"Yeah," Nell replied.

His hand when to the thin layer of gauze on his head. He then looked her over. "How... how long have..." he sucked in a deep breath. "How long have I been out?"

She smiled, it was the longest sentence without having to stop for a breath. "You've been in and out for a few days." It was hard to think of the footage of the accident, the times when she hadn't been sure if he would make it through surgery, if he would wake up and remember, or be able to walk. Hard to remember the worry, and sitting there waiting, watching monitors and just praying that he would come out of this. "You were..." she bit her bottom lip and fought the urge to cry. It was hard to say it, living it had been hard enough, but she'd put her emotions away put up her strongest front and sat vigil by his side. Having him now awake, she felt the walls on the box of emotions start to crack.

Sam studied the analyst that was starting to break apart. "You were out for a week," Sam told Callen so Nell wouldn't have to. "You've been in and out briefly since."

Callen nodded and looked at Nell who was obviously upset. "Hey," he lifted his hand and wiped away a tear with his thumb. He looked confused and turned to Sam. "I wasn't... driving with anyone when I got into... the accident, right?"

Sam shook his head. "You were driving solo. Tailing a suspect," Sam said.

Callen frowned. "How did I get into an... accident tailing someone? Drunk driver? Went through a red?"

"You were being tailed," Nell said sniffling. "They rammed your car... and..." She turned slightly. "Sam do you want coffee? I could use... some coffee. I'll get you some." She wanted to be strong for Callen, but she couldn't help but feel she was falling apart. She moved past Sam and pushed open the door finding sanctuary in the hallway.

::

Sam looked to the door that clicked shut behind the young analyst. "She's been beside herself worried about you, G."

Callen frowned. "I didn't ask for this."

"I'm not saying you did," Sam said with a slight shake of his head. "But it scared her, badly. Other than for the few hours Hetty ordered her home, she's been here."

Callen sighed. "When can I go home?"

"Not for a while," Sam replied. "When _you_ get into an accident... well... lets just say you don't half ass it. The Mercedes is a write-off, I'm just glad you aren't. I'd hate to have to break in another partner."

Callen shook his head with a smile. He knew the banter, just like he knew the worry in the big man's eyes. "I'd hate to inconvenience you... with my untimely demise."

"Good," Sam said. "Don't do anything like this again. Nell's not the only one who was scared."

"You admitting to being scared?"

"Nope," Sam lied. "I was talking about Eric. Maybe even Deeks."

"I'm not feeling the love here," Callen said with a stiff lip, but there was till playfulness in his voice that Sam had missed.

"Well here," Sam said handing him the cards his children had made. "Zachary and Zoe send theirs."

Callen looked down and opened the one with flowers and glitter on the front, guaranteed it was from his goddaughter. "Glitter," he noted.

"Zoe," Sam replied with a grin.

"Figured," Callen responded opening it. There was some squiggles, a big 'G' and Zoe had signed her name.

"I think it means 'get well soon so we can play with my toy pony,'" Sam said.

"Three squiggly lines mean all that," Callen said. "We should get her into cryptography."

Sam laughed at ease, his partner was here, sure, he was injured, but he was the same man as he had been before the accident.

Callen opened the second card from Zachary, it seemed to be a bright red sports car. He opened it to find the boy had written, 'your car wasn't as cool as dad's anyways, get well soon.' Callen laughed and shook his head.

"He has good taste," Sam said.

"There was nothing wrong with the Mercedes," Callen defended and then frowned. "Sierra's never going to let me sign out the Aston Martin after this."

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	51. Chapter 51

Sam went to find Nell after Kensi and Deeks came in to visit with Callen, and the analyst was taking to long to get 'coffee.' He found her in the cafeteria, she'd sat down at a table and was simply staring at her hands folded together on the table. "I thought you were getting coffee?" Sam said taking the chair next to her.

"Sorry," she whispered and then he realized she was crying, she quickly wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. Her lip quivering as she took a deep breath in trying to put all the emotions back where they'd come from.

"Hey," Sam said putting an arm around the tiny woman. "He's going to be okay."

"Yeah," Nell said. But... she hated seeing him in so much pain, and he didn't remember proposing, and every time she fell asleep in the chair she'd have horrible flashbacks to watching the crash.

"I feel that there was a but at the end of that," Sam said.

Nell shook her head. "It's nothing, Sam. We should get back to him." She stood not allowing for any more comfort to be taken. She needed to be the strong one, Sam made it look easy, she felt like she was falling apart.

"We're all here for him, Nell," Sam reminded her. "We're all here for you too."

Her lip quivered a bit with the sentiment and she turned away from him as she tried to blink back tears. "Yeah, I know," she whispered.

::

It was nearly a month before Callen could go home with Nell, and it presented it's own complications. He couldn't use crutches to walk with the broken forearm and fingers, so he was stuck with a wheelchair, not that he hadn't put up a fight about it. Hetty had come in to the hospital room and told him how it was. "_The chair, or the hospital bed, Mr Callen. Those are your choices." _Callen, who at that point would crawl to get out of the hospital if he had to, chose the chair. The chair presented plenty of problems all on it's own, the biggest being he had to rely on others. With the broken arm, he was pretty much stuck.

Sam had driven behind Nell's red Mini Cooper to the home she shared with Callen and helped the petite analyst get Callen from the car to the chair. The Senior Agent-In-Charge kept telling them he could do it on his own. Sam had told him to stop being so stubborn. Nell had told him to just let them help. Once in the chair, Nell insisted that she could handle it from there. Sam told her to call if she needed anything.

The first day at the house hadn't been _so_ bad for Callen. All the awful things were outweighed by Nell grilling up a marinated steak; special thanks to Deeks for prepping everything and leaving it in the refrigerator. She served it up with buttery mashed potatoes and assorted greens. After living off the hollow feeling of an IV, and then nutrition shakes and jello, it was quite possibly the best meal he'd ever eaten.

And then he went back to all the things he couldn't do, he could hardly wheel himself with the broken arm that ached under the cast, and the three splinted fingers on his other hand weren't helping. It was frustrating for someone who was so independent to be forced into a situation where he had to depend completely on Nell.

The first night she wheeled him up beside their bed and he'd frowned at it trying to work out how he was going to get himself up there, but he knew she was going to force her help. He looked to her and was surprised to find her looking quite happy.

"Why are you smiling?" He asked curiously.

"_You're here_," she responded before grabbing his right arm. "Can you put weight on your leg?"

His one leg wasn't broken, but after so long of being in a hospital bed it felt weak and unsure. "Yeah," he insisted. She'd taken most of his weight helping him up from the chair and getting him into bed and helping him undress. "I can do it," he knew she was just trying to help, but he was getting to feel weak and useless unable to undress himself.

She smirked up at him. "Do you know how long it's been since I've gotten to undress you?" Her eyebrows jumped suggestively.

He laughed, he couldn't help it. Even with all that had happened, she still managed to light up his life even in the darkest of moments. He lifted his hips to help her pull his shorts off. "Going to take advantage of me, are you?"

She smiled taking off her shirt and bra before wiggling out of her jeans. "Nope, not until you're all better," she responded laying down beside him and pulling the blankets to cover. She curled into him just like she always did. She sighed before sitting up a little to plant one right on his lips. "I missed you so much," she said her lips moving like feathers against his.

He moved closer, once again connecting their lips for something just as soft, but passionate.

She smiled tucked her head back on his shoulder and draped her arm over his chest. "I love you."

"And I you."

::

Deeks knew that Kensi was going to visit Sierra and he didn't want to infringe upon sacred-girl-time because he knew he'd pay for it somehow later, but he missed Kensi. He supposed he always did when she wasn't around. Their lives had become so seamlessly intertwined that he felt... less somehow when she wasn't around.

Monty came to greet him at the door with a doggy smile and a tail wagging so enthusiastically his entire body moved with it. "Hey Monty," Deeks said feeling upset he'd neglected his dog quiet a bit when Callen was in the hospital. The dog seemed to know something was up though, and stuck close to Deeks's side.

Deeks grabbed Monty's ball and threw it down the hall and Monty ran after it skidding on the hardwood floors. Monty trotted back quite proudly and set the slobbery ball down in front of Deeks. "Good boy," Deeks said ruffling the dogs hair. "Good boy Monty!" He picked the ball back up and threw it once more.

Deeks moved through the house put some kibble in the Monty's food bowl, that had been hand painted by Delaney when she had been on one of her 'artistic kicks.' She had painted a matching water dish that sat beside it, Deeks grabbed it and dumped the old water giving it a quick wash and filling it with fresh water.

Monty's tail thumped happily against the floor and Deeks took it as a 'thank you.'

Deeks looked in the fridge for food of his own but found that it was sorely lacking. He ended up eating dry cereal right from the box. "Somehow, I think you got the better deal in all this," Deeks said to Monty. The dog's tongue simply lolled out of it's mouth. Deeks shook his head.

Giving up on boxed cereal he decided he'd pick up something at a vendor along his run. "Want to go for a walk, Monty?"

The dog took off to the hangers and pulled his leash down and sat by the door with it hanging from his mouth. "I'll take that as a yes," Deeks said. He took a quick minute to change into track pants and a different t-shirt but returned to the energetic dog and clipped the leash on. "Let's go."

::

Sierra worried over Callen's condition, but Kensi eased her fears. "He seemed just like his old self," Kensi told her with a sigh of relief. "He got all cranky and wanted out of that hospital, and that's how I really knew he'd be alright."

Sierra smiled as she sipped on her glass of wine. "Noah's been keeping me updated, he gets them all through Mike, and I just..." Sierra shrugged. "I didn't want to go to the hospital... I feel bad, I should have gone but..."

"It's fine," Kensi said waving her hand dismissively. "He's afraid you're going to rip him a new one over the Mercedes."

"We'll I'll have to now," Sierra said. "Or he'll think I'm going soft." The girls shared a smile. "So... how's it going with that super sexy partner of yours?"

Kensi shot her a glare but it was playful. "You ask me over to gossip?"

"It's what we women do," Sierra insisted. "Men watch sporting events, women gossip over wine and chocolate."

Kensi picked a caramel chocolate from the box and popped it in her mouth buying a few seconds to think. What was she with Deeks? Why did Sierra have to ask, make her think about what they were? She had a good time with Deeks, he made her laugh, made her smile. Sure, he drove her up the wall with his annoying habits, but...

"He told me he loved me," Kensi said.

Sierra looked happy for a second and then she really looked at Kensi and sighed. "You didn't say it back... did you?" Kensi bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "Oh Kens," Sierra bowed her head with a slight shake.

"He hasn't said it since," Kensi whispered.

"He's probably afraid, after all, you didn't say it back the first time," Sierra whispered back as if to speak louder would break the secrecy surrounding their words.

"I couldn't," Kensi's voice had a slight emotional tremor, she took a few seconds to calm down.

"So you _don't_ love him?"

"I didn't say that."

"So you _do_ love him?"

"I didn't say that either."

Sierra let out a little sigh. "Kensi... what are you so afraid of."

Kensi bit her bottom lip. Deeks was right. She was afraid of having something to lose again. She looked over at her friend who frowned seeming to just _know_, and more Sierra understood.

The two women sat in silence thinking over their life decisions as they sipped on their wine and ate their chocolates.

::

With the children already in bed Michelle and Sam sat up in the living room. "We should push back the wedding," Michelle said as they watched the news.

"What?"

"The wedding," Michelle said. "We need to push it back." Sam turned to look at his wife who gave him a sad smile. "He has to be there, Sam."

Sam smiled. "Yeah, he does."

"So we'll move it back a bit. No big deal," Michelle said with a shrug. "It's not like it's the hundred and fifty guests it was _last_ time. It's only around thirty people, I'll work it out."

"I think he'll be agitated that we worked around him," Sam said putting an arm around her.

"He'll get over it," Michelle said with a slight smirk curling into her fiance's body. She could see Callen getting all moody about it, but she knew their day would have an overcast to it if he wasn't there. "We need him there."

Sam couldn't agree more, he wanted his brother, his best friend there. He kissed the top of her head and wondered how he got so lucky the first time, and more, how did he get so lucky to get her a second.

::

Eric walked along the beach with Bethany, or was... he looked back and found she had stopped and was gazing out at the ocean, he walked back to her. He stepped in close and she leaned into him. "It's so beautiful here," she said in a voice so soft it was almost carried away by the waves.

"Yeah, it is," Eric replied. He'd missed the ocean. He hadn't even thought about it during the time that Callen had been in the hospital. Eric then had spent more time trying to forget the footage of the accident that had put the Senior Agent into that awful place, spent more time trying to comfort Nell and the other agents who seemed so _lost_.

Bethany turned to look at Eric, she bit her lip. He was staring out at the ocean, but it wasn't with the usual reverence or joy... there was sadness still lingering. She turned back to the ocean and smiled a bit as she slowly slid off her flip flops and once that was done she bolted into the cold water, turned around and splashed water up at him with her cupped hands.

"Beth!" He shivered as the first of the icy droplets seeped through his shirt.

She laughed and splashed at him again.

"Do it one more time, and I'm coming in there," Eric gave a playful threat pointing a finger.

She kept eye contact, a big smile on her face as she bent slowly, her hands slipping into the water and then she quickly raised them splashing him again.

"You asked for it!" He ran in and she shrieked trying to run through the water without much luck, he grabbed her around the waist.

"Ah!" she yelled wiggling as she tried to get free.

Holding her tightly around the waist he fell back into the water and immediately brought them back to the surface.

Bethany sputtered out ocean water and rubbed her eyes. She pushed some of her now wet blonde locks from her face and glared at him. "Meanie."

He smirked and his eyes trailed down, then again so did hers. Both of them had been wearing white shirts. "Hey Eric?" Bethany said pressing her body up against his trying to steal some kind of warmth. "Lets go back to your van and crank up the heat?" Her eyebrows were bouncing with suggestion. He smiled. She beamed.

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	52. Chapter 52

**JUNE 15/12 UPDATE: Thank you to those who pointed out the (peed instead of peeked [epic fail]) mistake. Hilarious, yet embarrassing. Good job, and again, I thank you.**

::

Nell heard the knock on the door, she wondered who it was so early in the morning. She was grateful she was already dressed, she wore a white blouse with pearl buttons and a fun floral skirt over her black footed tights. She peeked through the side windows and smiled when she seen who it was. She turned the deadbolt and opened the door for Sam. "Hey," she greeted stepping back and motioning for him to come in.

"Morning," Sam wore a pair of dark wash jeans and a red t-shirt, his tattoo's showing, in his hands he held an envelope and a white box which he lifted. "I brought muffins. Mitch made them."

"Mitch made muffins!" Callen said from the living room. "What does she want?"

Sam laughed as he kicked off his shoes and along with Nell, he walked into the livingroom. There was still a distinct lack of couches, only Callen's chair remained when Nell had cleared out her old furniture. Sam knew the couple had been meaning to go shopping together, but... there was the big case load thing, and then the Eric thing, and then the accident... Sam could understand why they'd never gotten around to picking out a sofa.

"What makes you think she wants something?" Sam asked with a playful tone. He spotted his partner in the wheelchair by the window he had the newspaper in his hand and appeared to be doing the crossword puzzle. The scars were easy to see, along with the bruises since he was only dressed in jeans and hadn't bothered with a shirt.

"Muffins," Callen said incredulous, he tapped the pen in his hand against the newspaper. "Surely you know by now that when Michelle makes muffins, it means she wants something, it's her way of buttering you up... what kind are they."

Sam smirked. "Morning glory."

Nell snorted and then burst out laughing.

"You know what, I'm not going to even touch that one," Callen said with a smile, he put the newspaper and pen on the window ledge. "It's too easy. And awkward." Sam passed the box over to Callen who opened it. The muffins both looked and smelt delicious. "I feel like if I eat one, I'm agreeing to whatever it is she wants."

"It's just something to keep you quiet when I tell you something," Sam said sitting down against the wall.

Callen studied him from his chair. He made a 'tisk' sound. "You get Mitch pregnant again?"

"No!" Sam said. "Two is enough." He sighed. "Eat your muffin."

"I'm still worried that it signifies that I agree."

"I'll eat one," Nell said picking one out and picking a bit off popping it in her mouth. "Mmm, these are delicious."

"Of course their delicious," Callen scolded. "That's why they're bribery muffins. Mitch wants something."

Sam rolled his eyes and then looked at Nell. "Did you smuggle him some Morphine?"

Nell took her turn rolling her eyes. "No. He's just bored. He's insufferable," she joked looking over at Callen lovingly.

"Bored yes, but you can't look at me like that and make me honestly believe that you think I'm insufferable," Callen said smirking.

"Eat the damn muffin, G."

Callen picked one up and bit into it. "Happy?" he said with his mouth full.

"Mitch and I decided to push back the wedding."

He choked on the muffin and Nell hovered worriedly. He waved her off and set the muffin back in the box. "What? Why?"

"You're my best man, G," Sam said. "You're injured. I want you to be there, in full capacity. So... Mitch and I will wait. It's no big deal."

"It's... yes it is!" Callen shook his head. "You can't just... postpone it."

"Yes I can," Sam replied. "And it's okay. It wouldn't be the same without you G."

Callen rolled his eyes disbelievingly. "Michelle already changed the date didn't she?"

Sam waved the envelope he still held. "Yeah, she did."

Callen sighed but took it as Sam handed it over. He read the date and smiled.

"Mitch took it as a sign," Sam said with a shake of his head.

Nell read it over Callen's shoulder. "I don't get it..."

"It's the same date they originally got married on," Callen said with a smile. "So romantic," he said to Sam mockingly.

"You just wait, G," Sam said with a shake of his head as he got back to his feet.

Callen watched as his friend left with a wave and then studied the cardstock in his hand. Just what did Sam mean by that? Wait for him to kick his butt when he returned to active duty? Or wait for his turn to be 'romantic.' Callen smirked but shook his head.

::

Two weeks.

Two weeks of being in a wheelchair.

Two weeks of being stuck in the house.

Two weeks away from work.

Two weeks of reading books.

Two god damned weeks of being bored out of his mind.

The only good thing was two weeks of sponge baths.

"Stop smirking like that," Nell said as she walked into the room. She smiled as she looked over him. His leg and arm were still in the cast, but in a couple of days they had an appointment to get them taken off. The scar on the side of his head still worried her and was a horrific reminder of just how close she had come to losing him. Since he was sitting shirtless she could also see the bruises on his ribs and the thick line across his chest where the seatbelt had locked into place. The bruises were fading, but the memory of the accident was on a horrific loop in her head. "I know what you're thinking about," she said forcing her mind to focus on something other than the accident that had put him in the wheelchair.

"Really?" Callen said looking at her with a grin on his face. The splints at least were gone off his fingers and it no longer hurt to make a fist. Sure he still had the cast on his arm, and his leg but he'd be getting them off in a couple of days, he couldn't wait. "And what am I thinking about?"

"Something..." Nell said sitting down on his lap, the chair rocking back slightly with her momentum. "Highly inappropriate." She kissed along his jaw line and then down his neck.

"I don't think _I'm_ the one with their head in the gutter," he said with a laugh.

She leaned back and studied his face, the light in his bright blue eyes, the smile. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, the weight of the cast came around her along with his other arm.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"Huh?"

"About the accident," Callen said. "I don't even remember it." It bothered him, the lapse in memory. It must have been bad though, for everyone to have been behaving around him in the way that they had.

"It wasn't your fault, some guy rammed into your car with and SUV," Nell said getting up off his laps as a beeper went off in the kitchen. "Maybe it's best you don't remember." It had to be better, she didn't want him to remember being hit, the car skidding out of control, flipping over into oncoming traffic, another car t-boning his. Those weren't exactly memories for the highlight reel. "Come on," she said grabbing the handles on the wheelchair and pushing it forward. "I made pasta for dinner."

"Pasta smells a lot like brownies," Callen replied.

"Brownies were a surprise."

"Oh." Callen tipped his head back to see her. "The pasta smells fantastic."

She laughed. "Yeah, act all surprised when I pull them out of the oven."

"Pull what out?" He said raising an eyebrow.

Nell shook her head at his antics. "You're a ham."

"Am not."

Nell laughed. "Did you somehow get more Morphine?"

"No," Callen said as she parked him by the table and started getting out plates. He wished he could help her out. _Three more days_, he just kept repeating the thought.

::Three Days Later::

Eric awoke to his phone and he sat up looking around squinting his eyes trying to get them to focus. No such luck. He felt around the night stand for his glasses but a hand came around his and the bulk of his phone was shoved into it. "Shut it up," Bethany said before pulling a pillow over her head.

Eric chuckled as he checked the ID. Callen. Huh. He answered it quickly and hoped nothing was wrong. "Hey Callen."

"_Eric,"_ the other man responded quietly. _"I need a favour." _

"Um... okay..." Eric didn't figure he'd be the first on the Special Agent's 'favour list.' "What is it?" He figured it had to be something technology related. Maybe his computer had crashed. Or maybe he needed information something... but Callen wasn't on active duty. He felt around until he found his glasses and he put them on.

"_I need you to call Nell into work." _

Eric was quiet for a few seconds. Hetty had given Nell time off to help Callen recuperate since he couldn't really take good care of himself with a leg and an arm broken. Besides that, it was also the weekend, Eric had a short shift of backing up files. "Uh... come again?"

"_I need you to call Nell into work," _Callen repeated sounding frustrated this time around.

"Why?"

"_Eric!"_ Callen barked quietly. _"Just... do it okay? Make something up." _

"And when Hetty asks..."

Callen was quiet on the other end. _"I'll call her. Just... do it okay?" _

Callen was acting strange. "Yeah. Okay." Eric was worried. "Is everything okay, G?"

"_Yeah, just... call Nell into work. Okay?" _

"Okay," Eric said slowly and Callen hung up.

"Who was that?" Bethany grumbled looking at the clock. "It's only five in the morning."

"Callen," Eric responded staring blankly at his phone.

"What did he want at five in the gosh-darn morning?"

"I...uh..." Eric scratched the back of his neck. "Honestly? Not quite sure what he's up to."

Bethany sat up suddenly. "I want cookies."

Eric laughed. "You always want cookies."

Bethany swatted his arm lightly. "Oh, shush-it."

::

"Mr Callen," Hetty answered her phone. "Is everything okay?" Calls at five am were rarely good.

"_Yeah, fine Hetty," _Callen responded briskly in a hushed tone.

"What are you up to?"

"_Could you just... not ask questions?"_

Hetty found herself bemused. "Sure."

"_I need you to do something." _

"Okay."

"_I'm getting Eric to call Nell into work. Act like you know why."_

"Are you going to tell me?"

"_That's a question, Hetty,"_ and with that he hung up.

"Cheeky bastard," she said to herself, she smiled thinking of what he might just be up to.

::

Deeks snapped awake to a screaming metal band. His heart hammered in his chest when he realized it was his phone. "Kensi you evil witch," he muttered half-heartedly. She'd gotten into the habit of pick-pocketing his phone and changing all kinds of settings. He grabbed it. "Deeks," he answered rolling onto his back and staring up into the darkness of the room.

"_It's Callen. Remember that favour you owe me?" _

Yeah, Deeks remembered Callen's quickness to get them out of the entire terrifying wedding discussion with Sam, Kensi and Nell. "Yeah," he responded groggily looking over at the digital alarm clock that's red letters were informing him that it was quarter after five. "What do you need?" Deeks listened carefully and smiled as he sat up. "Yeah, yeah I got it. I'll make the calls... once it's late enough that I can actually call someone. You do realize that it's only quarter after five, right?"

"_Nell's asleep,"_ Callen said as if that explained everything. _"Thanks." _And with that, he hung up.

::

"Who-is-it," Michelle muttered into the phone.

There was silence for a second_. "Give the phone to Sam." _

"For you," Michelle said passing Sam his cellphone.

Sam pressed the phone to his ear keeping his eyes closed hoping that after the phone conversation he could immediately fall back to sleep. "Yeah?"

"_It's G."_

"You okay?"

"_I'm good, I've just got to ask you something..." _

"G, it's five thirty. What is so important at five thirty?"

Callen told him.

Sam smiled.

"I'll meet you at three."

"_See you then."_

::

Kensi's phone went off only seconds after she'd turned off her alarm. G Callen on the ID. "Morning," she said putting the phone on speaker as she picked up her silk housecoat from the floor and wrapped it around her body. The midnight blue garment fell to just before her knees. She pulled her hair out of the back, picked up the phone and took it with her through the house.

"_It's Callen, I need your help with something." _

"Are you alright?" She asked worriedly. He'd seemed just fine when she'd gone to visit a few days ago, the bruises fading, and his casts were due to get off today. She hoped nothing had happened to keep that from transpiring.

"_Yeah,"_ he sounded agitated, she was unaware of just how many times he'd answered that particular question during the morning.

"Well, what do you need?" Kensi said as she opened her fridge searching for something for breakfast. She was set to go surfing with Deeks since it was the weekend and they had the day off, and it had been a while since they'd gone together, oddly enough, she missed it.

"_I need you to take me to the doctors appointment to get these damn casts off." _

"Sure," Kensi said. "But I thought Nell was taking you."

"_She's getting called into work." _

"We don't work today, G," Kensi reminded him.

"_Which is why it's called getting 'called in' Kensi,"_ he said, humour in his voice.

Kensi shut the fridge door and leaned against it. "What are you up to G?"

"_Can you take me to get the casts off?" _

"Yeah, of course, your appointment is at noon, right?"

"_Yes." _

"Then I'll pick you up at quarter after eleven," she said. "So what is this really about, G?" she pried. "What are you up to?" Because he couldn't know Nell was getting 'called in' to work unless he'd set it up. Why did he want her to pick him up and take him to the doctor?

"_A ring, Kensi,"_ she could hear the smile in his voice_. "It's about a ring." _

She squealed with delight even though he'd already hung up the phone. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" She jumped around the kitchen and was happy her blinds were drawn or any early rising neighbours might have thought she was a loon. She covered her large smile with her hand unable to believe it. "Oh my god!" She danced on the spot and then ran off to her room excited to get started with the day.

::

**I hope reading this chapter made you smile as much as I did while writing it!**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	53. Chapter 53

**:: FOUR HOURS EARLIER::**

Callen was awake staring at the ceiling wishing for time to go by. Being that he was stuck with a broken arm and a broken leg he couldn't get up and do anything he normally would when his insomnia showed up. Nell was pressed up against him, her leg over his thigh, her head on his chest and her arm wrapped around his middle possessively. She usually slept like that and it made it difficult for him to get away when he was wide with a bout of sleeplessness. Still, he liked her sleeping like that, a constant source of warmth, always knowing she's right there. Her breath against his skin, he ran his hands through her hair that was growing out slightly as she hadn't had time to get it cut. She wore a light purple babydoll and a pair of matching panties, they were fun and matched her personality.

Nell was moving slightly in her sleep, she wasn't much of a mover during her sleep, unless it was to roll over, or to seek out the blankets she'd kicked off during the night. Worry creased his brow as she made a sound of distress and turned her head slightly. She whimpered quietly and he decided that was enough. He ran his hand up and down her arm. "Nell, wake up," he said softly. Her eyes tightened and she held onto him tighter. "Nell, sweetheart, wake up," he spoke a little louder as he shook her shoulders and she jerked as she woke and looked around wildly. "It was just a dream," he told her.

"G," she whispered, tears blurring her vision.

"I'm here," he said pulling her back into his chest. "I'm here."

She took in a few breaths and got herself under control. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"

"No," Callen replied. "Bosnia?" he asked knowing she often had bad dreams that centred on the incident where she had to shoot a man to save her own life.

Nell bit her lip and shook her head.

He noticed the way she was looking at him, and more the recent injuries. "The accident?"

She nodded this time took in a deep breath as tears welled in her eyes.

"I'm right here," he said rubbing her back over the thin fabric of her sleep wear. "I'm okay."

"You were so lucky, G," she whispered. Part of her didn't want to talk about it with him, afraid that she might spark memories.

She found refuge in his arms, she enjoyed the safety of his warmth around her, listening to the beating of his heart, it was in the sanctuary of him that she spilled her secrets, her fears and he made her feel safe, and strong once again. The accident was torturing her, she could force it to the back of her mind and busy herself with other tasks while she was awake, but asleep her subconscious would bring it all back to the surface.

"It could have been so much worse," she said barely holding tears back. He could have died on scene, he could have died on the way to the hospital, or in surgery. He could be paralysed or brain dead, or trapped in a coma.

"But it wasn't," Callen replied simply. "I'm right here," he tightened his arms around her. "And there is no place I'd rather be... no one I'd rather be with." They were words she deserved to hear, and he meant each and every one of them.

There was such beautiful honesty in his voice that she snuggled up closer to him, her arm tightening around his waist as if to keep him with her forever. "Thank you," she whispered sleepily as her eyes grew heavy once more.

**::9 AM:: Callen Residence:: **

Nell awoke to her phone ringing she pushed her hair out of her face and rolled over to get it. "'Ello," she said sleepily. She could feel Callen's fingertips skimming down her side, it tickled just a little and made her smile.

"_Hey Nell, it's Eric... I was hoping you could come into to work to help me. I'm absolutely swamped. Kimi was going to help me, but Renko's team got an emergency call, and I asked Ty, but he's working on getting information off of a water damaged motherboard so he can't..." _

"Um..." Nell studied the alarm clock, it was nine in the morning. "I have to take G to the doctor today so he can get his casts of."

"I could call someone else to take me," Callen suggested softly. "I'm sure I could talk Kensi into it if we stopped for donuts on the way back," Callen smiled.

Nell frowned at sat up studying him covering the mouthpiece on her phone so Eric wouldn't hear. "Are you sure? I feel bad that I've left Eric with all this work for weeks-"

"Nell," Callen soothed. "I'll be fine."

She frowned, not liking it. She took her hand from the mouthpiece. "Give me an hour to get ready, I'll be there soon."

"_Thank's Nell," _Eric replied. _"See you then." _

"Bye," she hung up and pushed down the blankets. "I'm really sorry about this, G."

"Don't be," he said sitting up. It no longer hurt to put pressures on his broken arm or leg. He got out of bed and into the chair on his own, and could hear the condescending 'tisking' Nell was doing. "I'm getting them off today," Callen defended himself. "I'm not causing more damage."

She walked around the bed. "Are you sure you're-"

"I'll be fine," Callen said dropping his head back and sighing dramatically.

She kissed the top of his head. "Fine, fine, get all moody because I worry."

"I love you," he said.

She smiled down at him. "I love you too. I'll see you when you're cast free."

**:: 9:03 AM:: Malibu Beach::**

Kensi and Deeks had finished surfing and Kensi was ringing out the water from her hair as Deeks hooked the two surf boards to the top of his Jeep. "You seem awfully giddy this morning," Deeks said studying her.

"I'm just... I had a lot of coffee."

"Really," Deeks drawled disbelievingly.

"Yeah," Kensi said sounding more defensive. "What else would it be."

"I'm thinking... that," Deeks got the last strap in place and turned to face his partner. "Maybe, just maybe, you got a phone call...early this morning."

"Oh my god! He called you too!" Kensi exclaimed and there was unbridled joy all over her face. It was like she was the one about to get engaged. She bounced in place, her hands clasped together. "It's so exciting!"

Deeks couldn't even find it in himself to tease her when she was so completely and utterly happy. He just smiled back. "What part of the plan did he drag you into?"

"The most important part," Kensi leaned in. "_The ring_!" she squealed. "Well, I got to take him to the doctors to get his casts off, but then we're going ring shopping." She bounced on the spot a few times before she got herself under control. "What did he pull you for?"

"Venue," Deeks replied reaching back and pulling down the cord on his zipper and pulling his arms out of the wetsuit. "I have a few places to call up now that they'll actually be open."

"What are you thinking?"

"Something with major swag or Sam will beat me."

"Not Callen?" Kensi asked.

"Callen and Nell could be at a hot dog stand, and they'll be happy," Deeks smiled and shrugged. "There's something about a love like that..."

She smiled nervously, she could hear the longing for something with Callen and Nell's permanence. Something she knew she wasn't yet ready to give. "They do make a good couple, don't they. I've known G for years... I've never seen him so happy. They really deserve this."

"Which is why you, Kensi, my dear," he took her arm and walked her to her car only steps away. "Worry not about the venue for this proposal. I've got this." He leaned into her ear. "I'm a romantic at heart," his voice was deep, his drawl slightly elongating vowels naturally and it nearly sent a shiver down her spine. He moved out of her personal space. "I'll be seeing you later."

She nodded and opened the door to her car quickly before he could realize her knees and fingers were trembling.

**:: 9:30:: The Mission:: Ops Centre ::**

Eric was keeping Nell busy with backing up electronic files and printing them off, putting them in folders, filling the folders into boxes and carting them to the files room on the first floor. She was bustling around just like she always did, peppy, friendly and full with energy but there was underlying worry he could see on her face whenever she was sitting beside him.

He still wasn't sure why Callen had called him so early, or why the Senior Agent-In-Charge wanted Nell to come in for th day, but when Eric had gone to Hetty telling her that he'd be calling Nell in to help, Hetty had smiled knowingly and gave her approval. He figured she'd gotten a more in depth phone call than he'd received.

Still, the look of worry on her face that she tried to hide behind her usual behaviours bothered him. Other's might not of noticed, but he was her partner. "Nell, what's wrong?" He kept his eyes on the screen in front of him. Nell didn't like being called out, but he also knew if she was ready to talk she would, and they both found it easier to talk about the heavier stuff while not looking at each other.

"Nothing, there's nothing wrong, I'm fine."

He rolled his eyes and clicked another file and started to back it up. "Yeah and Hetty gave me my segway back."

"I just..." she bit her lip as she hit print on a few files and heard the printer across the room warm up. "I had a dream last night. You know the kind."

"The bad kind."

"Yeah."

They stared at their respective screens continuing their work.

"They suck," Eric commented. He'd had his fair share, still did from time to time. Now, with knowing what happened to Darby, and having Bethany and his friends to lean on... it was getting a little easier, a little less frequent.

Nell nodded. "Yeah," she whispered. "It's just... the accident..." she made a frustrated sound. "I don't know, Eric. It's just always there, in the back of my mind. G got really hurt and I..." her voice cracked and she was silent for a few minutes while they worked, she was aware that Eric was breaking their unspoken rule and was looking at her but she could feel his worry for her, and just how much he cared. Only when she was sure her emotions were back under lock and key did she speak. "I could have lost him, Eric."

"But you didn't," Eric said turning, rules be damned. He grabbed her arm and she looked over at him with glossy hazel eyes. "He's still here."

"Yeah," she said softly. "I know."

"And he loves you."

She smiled. "Yeah, I know that too."

"It'll get easier," Eric promised her.

She nodded. "Rationally I know that too... but with all the bruises and the casts and that scar on his head... there are so many reminders of how close of a call it was."

"He's getting the casts off, the bruises will fade and... well... he can grow his hair out a bit." Nell smiled at the last bit and Eric smiled with her. "It'll be okay, Nell."

She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder for a few seconds. "Thanks Eric."

"Anytime, Nell."

**::10: 23 AM:: Deeks Residence::**

Showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt he wrote out a list of places he thought might be perfect for the 'dinner' of course the team would want to go out and celebrate Callen getting back on his feet (quite literally) with a big fancy get together, she wouldn't think anything of them all getting dressed up to go out for a night on the town.

He stared at the list, leaned back on his couch and shut his eyes. The first one Deeks decided wasn't memorable enough and he crossed it off. The next lightly lit for intimacy, but for their purposes it might be too dark, he put a few lines through it. Four other's he crossed off and he looked at the paper. "Maybe this will be more difficult than I thought..." he muttered to himself.

_Think Marty_, he scolded himself. "Nell and Callen," he said to himself. "Nell and Callen... hmmm." He rubbed the few days worth of facial hair and then it dawned on him. He checked his watch and knew he'd never be able to get reservations for the same day, not at Aphrodite. And then he smiled, because he knew someone who could. He went to his room and grabbed his cell phone and flicked through his contacts.

"Marty," Jax answered cheerfully. "How's it going?"

"Good, I need a favour," Deeks cut to the chase.

"Don't call me in months and when you do, it's because you need something," Deeks could practically hear Jax's eyes rolling. "You're lucky I love you, brother, what is it?"

"You're the only one I know that could get me reservations at Aphrodite tonight."

Jax was quiet on the other end of the line for a long few seconds. "You're getting serious with Kensi?"

Deeks sighed and then explained the entire situation with Nell and Callen. "He's getting the casts off today," of course he left out that he'd been tailing a suspect when the second vehicle flipped the car, just a little re-imagining truth for the greater good. "He's going to ask her. Tonight. He's tasked me with finding the best place to do it." Deeks figured Callen to be the kind of guy who'd want control over the entire situation, but Callen also knew how to delegate to get what he wanted. Of course he'd want Kensi's help with the ring, another female opinion and especially a close friend to Nell. And Deeks knew every place in Los Angeles, the dives, the clubs, the bars, and all the finest of restaurants. He wondered what tasks everyone else got.

"And you think Aphrodite is it?"

"Well lit," Deeks ticked off his finger. "Classy, with enough bling to make it modern. Amazing service so we don't have to worry about a bad server messing up the night. Private rooms so we don't have to share the moment. It's inviting, it's warm, it's romantic."

"God, you sound like Delaney," Jax muttered so low Deeks hardly heard it. "So you want a room?"

"Please," Deeks replied.

"I'll call up Madison, see what I can do. No promises, so you better start working on your contingency plan."

"Dude, you were my contingency plan," Deeks said with a grin.

"I'll call you back," and with that Jax hung up.

**::10:47:: The Mission:: Hetty's Office::**

Eric came in quickly and sat down across from his tiny in form boss. "Mr Beale," she greeted him warmly with a smile. "What can I do for you?"

Eric had been timing how long it took Nell to get to the file room, and put everything away and get back, he figured he had a good five minutes. He leaned in. "Callen called you."

"Yes."

"What is this about? Why did he get me to call Nell in, do you know?"

"Callen didn't tell me," Hetty said carefully responding. Despite the fact that Callen had not told her why, she did suspect it had something to do with the woman in the filing room and something shiny. She also suspected that when he seen fit, both she and Eric would be pulled into whatever it was he was planning.

Eric sat back in the seat. "And you're just... letting him call the shots?"

"He often 'calls the shots,'" Hetty said. "It's his team, it's their day off."

"Yeah, but I'm at work, I'm calling in Nell, I'm giving her work that doesn't even need to be done. You're really okay with that?"

"Well it had to be done sometime, Mr Beale," Hetty responded. "Now Miss Jones will be back any minute, if you'd like to keep up this rouse, as I suspect Mr Callen is expecting you too, you should get back to work."

Eric studied Hetty for a minute and wondered if she had the ability to read minds. He stood up and walked away fearful he might actually find out she could.

**::11:00:: Callen Residence::**

Callen got out Nell's laptop, he new the password and quickly typed it in and got onto her Skype and found both Susan and Chloe were on. He created a conference call and invited them both to it, and within seconds they were both on screen.

He knew Nell had called her family and told them about the accident after he'd gotten out of the hospital, but at that time he hadn't exactly been feeling well enough to talk. And they hadn't seen the injuries.

"Gregory!" Susan sounded surprised. "Oh my," she said and he figured she noticed the scar on his head that still hadn't healed all the way. "How are you feeling?"

Chloe just looked horrified and worried chewing on her lip.

"Better and better," Callen replied. He waved with his casted hand. "I'm getting these off today."

"Oh that's good," Susan said. "Nell taking good care of you?" she winked.

Callen wondered what it was about mother's and making him blush. Eloise could do it. Susan could do it. It wasn't the reaction he wanted to give but he had no control over it. "Yes ma'am."

Susan smiled. She then seemed to notice Chloe on screen who was all teared up. "Chloe?"

"Sorry," she said. "Hormones." She wiped away a tear. "I'm really glad you're okay Greg."

Callen nodded and was thankful for the warm welcome he always got with Nell's family. "Look, I have a question for you ladies. I figured one of you must know the answer."

"Okay, shoot," Susan replied curiously.

Callen smiled. "What's Nell's ring size?"

"Oh my god!" Chloe shrieked. "Oh my god! You're... and... you're going to... OH MY GOD! My big sister's getting engaged!"

Susan clapped her hands together and laughed. "Oh this is fantastic, Gregory! Alan! Get in here!" A few seconds later Alan appeared over Susan's shoulder. "Did you hear?"

"Greg here asking for our little Nell's ring size?" Alan said. "It's about time, son."

For some reason the word 'son' just resounded and choked Callen up. "Yeah. Well..." he pointed to the scar. "Guess I finally got some sense knocked into me."

"Good to see you're doin' alright... you are, doing okay, right?" Alan wondered.

"Yeah, I'll go to the doctors today, get the casts off, they'll give me the all clear, and I'll be back to work in a month or so."

Alan nodded and turned to his wife who was crying. "Tears of joy," he said.

Chloe was bouncing in her seat. "Five, Greg, her ring size is a five."

"Dainty little fingers," Susan said softly. "Our little girl," she said crying as she looked at her husband.

"He'll make her a happy woman," Alan assured.

Susan turned and faced Callen on screen. "Yeah, he will," she said knowingly.

Callen felt assured by Nell's family. "Wish me luck."

"When are you going to pop the question?" Chloe asked leaning forward.

"Tonight."

Chloe appeared to have the hardly contained energy of her sister, despite the fact that no blood related them. "Oh! I'm so happy for you two!"

"I bet you have some work to do," Susan said.

"That I do," Callen admitted.

"Well... I'm sure we'll be hearing from you soon," Alan said and with that everyone signed off.

**::11:49:: Deeks Residence::**

Deeks's phone rang loudly with the same death-metal ring as before. "I have to remember to change that," he muttered to himself before answering. "Hey, tell me good news."

"_I am the king of negotiations."_ Deeks laughed. _"Say it," _Jax demanded.

Deeks shook his head. "You are the king of negotiations."

"_And you owe me." _

"I owe you."

"_Big time." _

"I'm forever in your debt."

"_Just what I like to hear,"_ Jax said with a good-natured laugh. _"You have reservations under your name anytime after six til closing. Madison will be working tonight- tip her well."_

"Thanks Jax."

"_Just remember, you owe me." _

Deeks laughed. "Like you'd ever let me forget it."

**::11:50:: Callen Residence::**

Kensi picked the lock and let herself in. "I knew you'd do that," Callen said and she looked into the living room and smiled at him. He was dressed in shorts, which was a rarity since he usually wore jeans, though she could see those being a problem with the cast, and a grey t-shirt and sneakers.

She put her hands on her hips, she wore boot cut jeans with a leather belt, a deep blue shirt with her comfy well worn out leather jacket and ankle boots. "Yeah, well I figured it would take you too long to get to the door."

He rolled his eyes. She smiled with hardly contained joy. "You're doing it."

This time he too smiled, but she could see the subtle nervousness behind it. "Yeah."

She walked behind him and grabbed the handles of he wheelchair. "What made you decide today?"

Callen was quiet for a few minutes. "I guess..." he was quiet for another second. "Nell had a dream last night. A nightmare... about the accident. I guess it was bad?" He looked at Kensi and from the look on her face he knew she too had seen the footage. "Anyways she was saying how it could have been worse, that I had been lucky." Callen shrugged. "And when I was in the hospital..." he struggled with the words, with anyone else he wouldn't be speaking them at all, but for some reason it was okay with Kensi, to bare his heart. "I couldn't help but think, I could have died and never really told her or showed her how I felt, or... made any real step toward commitment."

"You two moved in together," Kensi said wheeling him out of the house and locking it up with his set of keys. "That's a big step, that shows commitment."

"But I wanted to give her more," Callen said quietly.

Kensi smiled. "You really love her."

"With more than I thought I had."

Kensi teared up, Deeks was right, Callen and Nell had some kind of love, that powerful, crushing, passionate, makes-you-believe-in-soulmates kind of love. "I'm happy for you, G."

He smiled. "Thanks Kens."

::

Thanks for reading! :)


	54. Chapter 54

**::1:30 PM:: Pacific Medical:: Parking Lot::**

Callen's leg was a little shaky after being in a cast and having not actually walked for the better part of two months. It felt good though, to have them off.

"How you doin' there, G?" Kensi asked and he could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Fine," he said quickly.

"Good thing I parked close," Kensi said unlocking the SRX. "You look a little wobbly."

"I've been stuck in a damn chair for nearly two months," he said, his tone a touch indignant.

She just smiled and got in. "So where did you want to go to look for a ring?"

Callen smiled and started giving directions.

**::1:33 PM:: The Mission:: Ops Centre:: **

Eric got a text message and read it quickly.

_**Nell there? **_

It was from Callen and Eric did a quick look around but he'd purposely messed up the filing room and knew that Nell like things organized and would never be able to just leave it so unorganized.

Eric typed back.

_**No.**_

Eric's phone rang and the ID came up as Callen's cellphone. "Hey, what is it?"

"_Thanks for getting Nell out of the house for the day." _

"What is this about?"

"_Can you keep a secret from your partner? Kensi thinks you can, I have doubts." _

"I'm offended," Eric said. "I work for the OSP and you think I can't keep a secret?"

"_I didn't say you can't keep a secret,"_ Callen replied. _"I said I doubt you can keep secret from Nell." _

This was fair. Nell was highly intelligent, and Eric wasn't use to having to keep secrets from his partner. "I don't know... I think so," Eric replied.

"_I really can't afford 'I think so,'" _Callen replied with a sigh. _"I'll call you back later. Keep Nell there until Sam arrives. He'll take her off your hands and then I'll call you back. He'll be there around four." _

"Callen, what the hell?" Eric replied absolutely perplexed by how the agent was behaving.

"_Don't worry about it Eric, I'll call you at four, if you need help keeping Nell around, talk to Hetty." _

Eric stared at his phone since the Special Agent had hung up. "What the hell are you up to Callen?" He muttered to himself.

**::2:04 PM:: Alameda Neighbourhood :: Street ::**

Kensi watched Callen carefully, he seemed steadier on his feet as they walked from the parking garage where they had left her vehicle. The neighbourhood was busy today, people were out talking, a few had ice cream and it made Kensi jealous, she could really go for something nice and cold. The heat was getting to her and she was glad she'd abandoned her leather jacket in the car.

Callen seemed to know exactly where he was going so she kept close to him avoiding the many pedestrians out for an early afternoon stroll.

"So what are you thinking about?" Kensi asked. "What style? The classic princess cut? The old fashioned solitaire? I don't really see that being Nell's style though, and she has to wear it for the rest of her life. And it's not just about stone cut, what kind of band? The regular gold? White gold? Platinum? And what about-" she was cut off when Callen put a hand over her mouth.

"Are you going to be quiet now?" Callen raised an eyebrow in question.

She glared at him and he removed his hand. "I was just curious as to what you were sort of looking for so I could help you."

He pointed at the door. "We're here."

Kensi looked up to read the sign. "Alexander's huh?"

"Yeah," Callen replied opening the door for her. "Come on."

**::2:04 PM:: Hanna Residence:: Living Room::**

"Mitch! Have you seen my keys?" Sam raised his voice so she'd be able to hear him in the kitchen.

"Aren't they hung up by the door?" Michelle replied as she walked into the room fighting the urge to smile when she seen Sam had pulled up all the couch cushions and was currently on his hands and knees looking under the couch.

"No, I checked," Sam replied. "I have to meet G at three across town, and with traffic I'm probably already going to be late. I can't be late."

"Is this about the phone call this morning?" Michelle had nearly forgotten. "Everything okay? Isn't he getting his casts off today?"

"Yeah, Kensi took him."

"What about Nell?"

Sam smiled. "Callen got Eric to call her into work."

Michelle tilted her head her expression confused. "Why would he do that?"

Sam's smile grew. "Because he and Kensi are looking at rings."

Michelle's jaw dropped and hung there for a second in pure shock. "Holy shit."

"Holy shit," Zoe repeated and made Michelle jump.

"Don't say that Zoe!" Michelle said dropping down to her daughter's height. "Mommy said a very bad word. You can't say it again, okay?"

"Holy or shit?" Zoe asked for clarification and had Sam nearly in tears as he laughed.

"This is not funny Sam," Michelle scolded. "The s-word. You don't say it."

"Okay, Mommy."

"Zoe, have you seen my keys?"

"Um... no."

"Zoe..."

"I was playing with them in the sandbox. They're treasure."

Sam hung his head and bit the 's-word' off the end of his tongue. "Well help me find them, I need to go see your Uncle G."

"When can I see him?" Zoe asked pouting.

"Tonight," Sam replied.

Zoe pulled sandy keys from her pocket. "I already found the treasure Daddy."

Sam took they keys and sighed. "Thanks, I'll be back around five."

"I'll have them ready," Michelle responded.

**:: 2:06 :: Alexander's :: Showroom:: **

Kensi looked through the glass cases and each ring seemed more impossibly beautiful than the last. The establishment was family owned and operated, most were jewellers by trait and the vast majority of the jewellery was made by one of the family members, everything in the entire store was custom. What wasn't made by a member of the Alexander family were either made by local artisans or an antique trade-in. "They're so beautiful," Kensi said everything looking shiny and wonderful and represented to her the beginning of a new life with someone you love and cherish.

"But which one is Nell," Callen prodded.

Kensi studied each and every ring with exacting care. Some, she decided, were too fussy and overly styled. Others were far to simple for the brilliantly charismatic analyst. She moved into the antique and vintage styles and was blown away by the incredible craftsmanship in each, they weren't just rings, they were works of art.

_And then she seen it. _

It literally took her breath away. She pointed. "That one."

Callen, who was leaning over her shoulder smiled.

"Mr Carl, it's good to see you again," Kensi looked up to read the associate's name tag, Lloyd. "Have you come to admire it once again?"

"No," Callen said. "I've finally come to buy it." Kensi looked shocked over at Callen. "What?" He asked. "You just reaffirmed what I already knew," he smiled. "We picked out the same one."

"Oh how wonderful," Lloyd said taking the ring in question out of the display case and holding it out. "It's beautiful isn't it."

Kensi took it and studied it in amazement. "It really is," she looked over at Callen. "She's going to love it." She handed it back to Lloyd who started the search for an appropriate case. She turned and impulsively hugged Callen. "So how long have you been coming here to look at the ring?" she asked as she let him go.

He shrugged but from the blush on his face she guessed longer than he'd care to admit.

**:: 3:12 PM :: Top Line Taylor :: Curbside ::**

"Sorry I'm late," Sam said rushing down the street to meet the now cast-less Callen and Kensi. "Zoe buried my keys." Callen shook his head and Kensi giggled.

"So what are we doing here?" Kensi asked, she hadn't been informed about any part of the plan further than the ring. Callen was running a tight ship.

"I need a suit," Callen said as if it were obvious. "And I have a suit. Here."

"The suit for the wedding," Kensi said with a smile. "And you're okay with this Sam?"

"Absolutely," Sam replied. "A suit is a suit, it's not like women with their dresses."

Kensi rolled her eyes and went in before the men.

"You told Mitch right?" Callen asked.

"Yes, and she'll have the kids ready to go at five when I go to pick them up. Has-" Sam was cut off by Callen's cell phone.

Callen smiled. "Deeks," he answered.

"_We have reservations for a private room at Aphrodite at six until closing," _Deeks informed him.

Callen knew of the place but had never gone. It was one of those incredibly hard to get into, reservations required a year in advance, special events kind of places that was well known. He smiled and laughed at his good luck. "How did you manage that?"

"_Called a friend, who called a cousin who's a manager at Aphrodite," _Deeks said. _"You're welcome."_

"Thanks Marty. Really, I mean it."

"_No problem,"_ Callen could hear the smile in Deeks's voice. _"You need anything else?" _

"I think I've got everything else under control. Meet you there at six?"

"_See you then."_

"I take it that was Deeks and he has the venue," Sam said.

"Aphrodite."

Kensi's jaw dropped a little. "Really? How romantic!" The older agents turned and just grinned.

She narrowed her eyes at them. "I don't care if you are silently mocking me. Callen, you're getting engaged, and Sam, don't think I don't know that you're thrilled about the entire thing even if you aren't going to vocalize how romantic you think it is."

"So, lets get suited up," Callen said clapping his hands together.

Sam talked to the associate getting the suit for the wedding out early and signed the papers. "You better not get anything on this G."

"If I wanted the third degree, I would have borrowed something from Wardrobe, I obviously purposely avoided it." Sam rolled his eyes. "You better be going to OSP before Eric has an ulcer."

"Yeah," Sam replied. "I'm on it." He patted Kensi on the shoulder. "See you soon."

"Bye Sam."

Callen disappeared behind the curtain with the suit and Kensi sat down to wait.

**:: 4:00 PM :: The Mission :: Hetty's Office ::**

"Eric said you had something for me to do," Nell said looking frazzled. "The file room is completely re-organized, everything is backed up, we've done years of further backstopping on currently used aliases... what else needs to be done?"

Hetty smiled. "A cup of tea my dear. You've worked yourself to the bone today. You should have something to relax yourself."

"Tea?" Nell's voice went up a pitch. "Eric told me you had a job."

"He must have been mistaken," Hetty replied with a kind smile. Nell sat down and Hetty poured her a cup. "You seem on edge."

"What?" Nell perked up. "I'm quite fine." Nell bit her lip under the scrutiny of Hetty's eyes peering over the glasses. "It's just that...Eric called me in this morning and I should be taking Callen to the doctors, and instead I'm here, but there actually doesn't seem to be anything that _actually_ needed to be done today." Nell frowned. "I feel like a sheep being herded."

Hetty smiled. Of course the bright woman would see something was going on. She caught the eyes of Sam who smiled, she smiled back. "Mr Hanna," she said. "What brings you to the office today?"

"I needed to talk to you and Eric and Nell...I called Kensi and she said she'd taken Callen to the doctors."

"Got called in," Nell said looking suspiciously over at Hetty.

"Oh, well, I was thinking," Sam said leaning against one of the posts casually. "Since Callen is getting his casts off we could throw him a bit of a party. I left Deeks in charge of the place, he said he'd get us reservations somewhere."

"Oh, that sounds really lovely," Nell said with a smile. Callen deserved to go out and have a good time after the past few months he'd been having. "I should got home and get changed, that is," she said looking over at Hetty. "If I have no more work to be done."

"None, my dear. Go, go, get ready."

"I'll text you the place, but it's formal," Sam said. "Deeks was pretty confident about six o'clock though."

"Alright, have plenty of time to get ready then. I'll tell Eric."

"Don't worry about it," Sam said. "I've got to talk to him about an old case file anyways."

"Alright," Nell said slowly once again thinking she might be being herded. She eyed both Sam and Hetty suspiciously before grabbing her bag and heading for the garage.

**:: 4:02 :: The Mission :: Ops Centre ::**

"Okay, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Eric asked as he answered the phone to Callen's call.

Callen laughed_. "Yeah. You have a video camera, right?" _

Eric rolled his eyes. "Of course. Why?"

"_I obviously need something recorded." _

"Callen, are you going to tell me what's going on or not? Nell's gone."

"_I'm proposing." _Eric's jaw dropped and he was silent for a good ten seconds before Callen spoke again. _"Eric? You still there?" _

"Yeah, yeah I'm here, I'm just... wow... holy... wow. Just... you know... wow."

"_Yeah, you said that," _there was laughter in his voice.

"And you want it recorded?"

"_Yeah, figured her parents might want to see it." _

"I could do a live feed," Eric suggested. "That way they could watch it live, really be part of it."

Callen was quiet a second. _"Discreetly." _

"Got it. Discreet is my middle name."

"_Your middle name is Christian." _And with that Callen hung up.

"How the heck did he know that?"

**:: 5:05 :: Hanna Residence :: Living Room ::**

Sam had dressed quickly in a charcoal three piece suit with a white collared shirt and silver silk tie. Michelle came around the corner in a strapless silver dress and turned in her sparkling silver heels. "Hon, can you get the zipper." Sam stepped up behind her and pulled the zipper up slowly his fingers lingering on the bare skin, she leaned into the touch. "You're warm," she commented quietly.

"Mom!" Zachary said hitting the door. "Zoe got part of her dress stuck in the zipper."

"You did it!" Zoe argued loudly.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Both parents sighed.

**:: 5:10 :: Deeks Residence :: Bedroom ::**

"Red tie, or purple tie?" Deeks said holding them up to himself and then he held them out to Monty.

The dog came over to curiously sniff the red one, he then bit it and shook it.

"Purple one it is," Deeks said as he got the red tie back from his dog, now covered in doggy drool. He quickly tied it and flattened it against the black shirt he was wearing and pulled the dark grey vest over top and buttoning it, along with the black slacks he had a full outfit forgetting the stuffiness of the suit's jacket. He grabbed the keys to his red Camry and locked up as he left.

**:: 5:15 :: Callen Residence :: Bedroom ::**

Nell had drifted to the La Perla in her drawers. She wore a pair of floral inspired stockings held up by the garter belt. Flipping through her closet she found a white vintage dress with a pink and red floral designs. She paired it with a pair of pink strappy kitten heels and a beaded coral clutch.

She'd gotten the text from Sam that they'd all be meeting at Aphrodite. She thought it was an odd place for the gang to be going. It was romantic, intimate, and cosy, or at least that was what she'd heard, she'd never personally been there. She'd also heard that it was nearly impossible to get reservations, sometimes when people wanted to have an event they had to book a year in advance.

Strange as it was, she wanted Callen to have a good time, the entire team needed a good night of bonding, so she grabbed her keys, locked up the house and walked to her Mini Cooper determined to enjoy the night.

**:: 5:30 :: Blye Residence :: Living Room::**

"Hurry up Kensi," Callen called checking his watch. The suit was a sharp grey, he wore with it the light blue tie that Hetty had gotten him for his fortieth birthday. 'For special occasion's' she'd said. He figured this more than qualified.

"Coming, coming," Kensi replied from behind her bedroom door.

He'd planned the day meticulously. He checked his pocket once again for the box that held the ring. He opened the box and let out a breath of relief, he was thrilled that Kensi had chosen the same ring. He'd called up Hetty, and filled her in on everything, she gave him a hard time for not telling him sooner, he'd laughed and asked how long she'd known, she'd admitted since he'd called. He'd then given Eric the number for the Jones residence since he could guide them to where he'd be setting up the feed. Susan had called him enthused over the idea and to once again wish him luck. Now that they were half an hour from getting to Aphrodite he was getting nervous.

"Kensi!"

"Yeah, okay, I said I'm coming, okay," Kensi came through the door finally and he could see the mountain of clothes she must have tried on, on the bed. "Ready." She wore a modest v-neck, deep purple in colour and a pair of deep blue suede pumps. "This okay?"

"You look beautiful," he replied, knowing anything less would have her turning around and changing. Besides, she did look beautiful.

She thanked him and then walked over and adjusted his tie. "There. Ready?"

"Yeah," he jingled the keys and she snatched them.

"You're not driving my car."

"Really? You're going to give me motion sickness before I go to propose," he said only half joking. "I'm nervous enough."

She socked him in the arm and locked up as they left.

::

**The next one is the proposal! Been a long time coming, hasn't it?**

**Thanks for reading!**


	55. Chapter 55

Eric had gotten to Aphrodite promptly at six with his camera equipment, Deeks had told the manager, Madison, that he'd be there, and everyone else would manage to stall Nell till ten after six knowing how prompt she always was.

Sam was waiting outside with his wife and children. Hetty had shown up just a few minutes after that. "Looks like we're going to have quite the event tonight," Hetty said with a smile upon her face.

"Been a long time coming," Sam replied.

"I'm so excited," Michelle admitted.

Zoe and Zachary seemed to be getting bored with the wait and Zachary messed with her hair so she gave his tie a yank. "Kids, cut it out," Sam said.

"He started it!" Zoe cried indignantly.

"I'm finishing it," Sam replied. "Do I have to separate you two?"

"No," Zachary muttered.

"Good. Now behave, this is important."

"But I'm bored," Zachary whined.

"Me too," Zoe agreed. "I want to play hide-and-go-seek!"

"You can't play hide-n-seek here," Michelle told them. "Be patient, we'll go in once everyone else arrives."

Deeks pulled up and tossed the keys to his Camry to the valet. "Hey, did Eric get in alright?"

"Yeah," Sam replied. "He's setting up now."

"Excellent," Deeks nodded as Nell's red Mini Cooper pulled up. "I'll check up on him, see how much longer we'll need to stall." He left the group and entered the building.

"Hello," Nell greeted the group cheerfully after handing her keys over to the valet.

"Hey Nell," Sam replied. "We're just waiting for everyone to show up before we get our table."

Deeks came back out. "Wow, Nell, you're a total ten."

Sam smiled, ten minutes they needed to stall.

Nell flushed. "Thank you."

"And there is Kensi," Deeks said spotting the car pulling up. He watched as Kensi got out of the vehicle, went around the hood. The deep purple v-neck dress was modest, but sexy. Her hair flowed down in curls and waves. The heels she wore only served to accentuate her already sinfully long legs. For a second he literally forgot to breath. She dropped the keys into the valet's hand. And then Callen got out, the man looked completely calm in the grey suit that he adjusted the jacket of before shutting the door behind him. "And the G-Man."

"Don't him hear you say that," Sam said with a chuckle as Kensi and Callen came over.

Deeks through a careless arm around his partner's shoulders. "You're breathtaking," he whispered in her ear and let his arm fall before people thought it to be suspicious. He risked another look over at her to see she was trying her best to suppress a smile, her eyes locked onto his and the smile broke free of her control. He smiled back.

"Look at you," Nell said with a large smile as her eyes tracked Callen coming closer, walking just fine and seemingly pain free. "Cast free."

Callen smiled at her as he got with arms reach. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his body for a hot, passionate kiss that had Deeks wolf-whistling, Kensi and Zoe giggling, Sam, Michelle and random strangers clapping and Zachary muttering about 'cooties.'

Nell's heart was fluttering in her chest as they broke apart. There was something about his blue eyes, something different, something new. She studied him but nothing seemed to be different, nothing but this new _spark. _

Callen couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so young. Had he ever? He didn't think there was ever a time he'd been so happy. There was part of him that didn't think he could wait the extra time to get into the establishment, he just wanted to do it.

Deeks checked his watch, Eric would be set up by now and have everything hidden. "Our table should be ready now," he said pulling out his phone and shooting off a warning text to Eric.

The group mobilized and entered Aphrodite. The back wall of the entrance way was a royal purple. "Martin," the brunette in an elegant floor length Grecian inspired white dress said with a smile. "Long time no see."

"Madison," Deeks's responded with a smile, his hands in his slacks and rocking back on his heels. "What has it been, eight years?"

"At least ten," Madison said with a shake of her head. "I was going to UCLA the last time we seen each other." She shook her head. "How rude of me, here I am going down memory lane when I've got a job to do. Right this way." Madison motioned and the woman seemed to float as she walked down the hallway. She slid open a door into an elegant white room with a large focal point of the black iron and crystal chandelier. The table was a long harvest type table, made of iron and glass. Five low candle centerpiece's were lit in a row down the centre. "I hope this suits your needs."

"It's perfect," Callen said with a smile and Nell eyed him suspiciously, but he put an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into his body, feeling safe and secure her suspicious left.

"I'm pleased to hear it. Ann and Winifred will be serving you tonight. If you have any questions or complaints, please come to me," Madison said professionally. "It is my job to ensure your event here at Aphrodite is filled with warmth and love." Madison was just leaving as Eric 'came in late.' She smiled at him knowing he'd been waiting in the back room. "Ann and Winifred will be in to get you all started soon. Please make yourselves comfortable."

"That is a beautiful chandelier," Michelle commented but she was staring at Sam.

"No, what the heck would we need something like that for."

"It's pretty," Zoe said.

Sam, Michelle, Hetty and Nell sat on one side of the table, Zachary, Zoe, Kensi and Deeks sat on the other side, Eric got the foot of the table and Callen took the one at the head, Nell to his left.

The door opened and two of the waitresses came in. They were dressed in the same style of dress as Madison, but their dresses were a few inches above the ankles, probably making it easier for them to walk while delivering plates. Both wore golden name tags, the tall woman with braided blonde hair was Ann, the shorter waitress with a dark spiked boy cut was Winifred. Both woman were smiling and seemed serene in their work environment.

"I'm Winifred." The woman carried a large intricately designed water pitcher.

"And I am Ann." She had a large metal tray holding many glasses.

"We will be serving you tonight."

The two woman worked in synchronization, Ann holding out a glass, Winifred pouring it and setting it down while Ann picked up another. When everyone had their waters the two waitresses stood at diagonally from one another on opposite corners of the table. "Would you like something else to drink?" Ann asked.

"We have a wide selection of alcoholic beverages," Winifred continued.

"As well as juice and pop," Ann said looking at the children with a kind smile.

"Daddy can I have soda?" Zoe asked squirming around in her light pink dress.

Sam smiled. "Sure," he replied.

Drink orders went quickly, all the adults getting something they could toast with when the time came. They all kept sneaking glances over at Callen wondering when he'd do it.

"He doesn't look nervous," Kensi whispered under her breath to Deeks.

"He's a highly trained undercover operative," Deeks responded just as quietly a rumble in his low voice. "Of course he isn't going to show it."

"Think he's nervous?" Michelle asked under her breath as Ann and Winifred came back in with the drinks but without the menus quite yet as per their request.

Sam looked over and studied his partner, there was a spark of life in his eyes, sure there was doubt, and nerves, they were hidden in the too casual way he was sitting, overcompensating for the fear that was surely coursing through him. Sam leaned in with a smile. "Terrified," he informed her before dropping a peck on her cheek.

Callen took Nell's hand on the table and smiled over at her, she smiled back. "Having a good time?" she asked.

"I'm with you," he said with a casual shrug. "Of course." She rolled her eyes at his moment of corniness. He leaned in towards her. "Do you remember when we first met?" Sure he knew her parents were watching, and maybe they'd told them a little lie about spilling coffee on his newspaper, but this was their proposal, and it was going to be pure, and real and genuine. This was one thing he wasn't willing to build with lies.

Nell smiled and the distant memory of years ago. "You kept side stepping me in the parking garage." She'd come in for her first day at work, nervous, anxious, excited. She'd been walking one way, he'd been going the other, and face to face they both the same way to try to avoid, they then both stepped in the opposite direction. Knowing what she knew now about him, he probably picked up her movements before she did them and mimicked. Knowing what she knew now, he'd been flirting with her, though years ago, she hadn't seen it...

_Strikingly handsome, she thought as her eyes kept looking at the man as she walked through the garage. Nell didn't think she'd ever seen a man more beautiful. He wore a grey suit, he had a set of keys swinging from his fingertips. She figured he must be one of the agents, he looked every bit as cool and suave as any James Bond. _

_She stopped in her step nearly tripping over herself as they both went the same way to avoid one another. "Sorry," Nell said moving to the right but found him in front of her again. _

_He chuckled. "Sorry," he apologised, but she could hear the humour in his voice. _

_They both went the same way again, and then both stopped and looked at one another. "How about I go this way," he pointed to his right. "And you-"_

"_Go this way," she pointed to her right. _

_He looked at her curiously and then they both took the step. "Problem solved," he said with a cheeky smile. "We make a good team," he said winking at her. _

_She flushed. "Um... yeah..." _

"_G Callen," he said sticking out his hand. _

"_Nell Jones," she replied putting her hand in his. She tried not to romanticize the moment, but at that moment, there was a spark, and suddenly all those romance novels her sister had gotten her into made sense and didn't seem so silly. She pushed it down. Nothing would ever come of this. He was an agent, she was an intelligence analyst. Heck, they might not even see each other, the office was probably huge..._

"I did it on purpose," Callen said.

"I see that now," Nell replied with a sly smile. "You flirt with all the intelligence analysts like that?"

Callen shook his head. "Just you... _we make a good team_."

"Yeah," Nell replied. "We do."

Kensi nudged Deeks and was biting her lip. It was like they were the only two people in the room, or even in the entire world, they were both leaning into each other, and she felt so blessed to get to witness the moment. She felt Deeks's arm go around her shoulder and his lips pressed against her hair.

Despite their youth, both Zachary and Zoe realized something very important was happening, and if the look their mother was giving them was any indication, they should keep quiet and pay attention. This was 'a moment.'

Sam wrapped his arm around Michelle and threw a smile Eric's way which the younger man returned in earnest and they went back to watching the magical moment unfold. Sam knew the moment was just around the corner, the edges of tension and nervousness seemed to have completely dissipated from Callen.

"Nell," Callen's voice was soft, but it was like he was saying the most precious word in existence. He smiled. She smiled right back. Then he got out of his seat and down on one knee before her.

"Holy shit," she whispered. The pose of a man getting down on one knee was universal. Her heart felt like it was beating impossibly fast, she was getting light headed and she kept grounded by looking into Callen's baby blue eyes.

Zoe looked wide eyed at her mother and pointed at Nell. Michelle pointed at Zoe and mimed zipping her lips with stern eyes. Zoe crossed her arms over her chest and sunk in her seat.

Hetty found that she was already tearing up, she had wanted for so long for Callen to find someone to spend his life with. Finally, _finally_ he had.

"I love you," he said taking both of her hands in his. "You came into my life. Started finishing my-"

"Sentences," Nell blurted. "Control issues with men I..." she squeezed her eyes shut. "Admire."

He bowed his head and she could see his shoulders shaking as he contained his amusement, he looked back up at her, his eyes striking her back into silence.

"I admire your intelligence, your determination, and your ability to see the good in things." He reached out and ran a hand through her hair and her lip trembled. "I appreciate every second I've ever been blessed enough to stand next to you, I love you for... every finished sentence," she smiled and a tear of joy fell down her cheek. "For your obsessively alphabetising my books," he grinned at her teasingly. "For every blueberry pancake dance." She laughed. "I'm the luckiest man in the world because every morning I wake up and you're right next to me. You grace me with your smiles, your laugh." Nell was openly crying now, tears one after another falling down her cheek, Callen brushing them away with his thumbs before holding her hands once again. "I can't help but think I'd been waiting my entire life for you to walk into it."

Nell pulled in a shuddering breath as Callen's hand slipped away from hers and went into his suit jacket pocket. He pulled out a white leather box, but her eyes were still on his face, trapped in the wonder of his blue eyes. She heard the click of the box opening. "Nell Jones," he said softly. "I love you with everything that I have. You are my heart, and my soul. I promise to spend the rest of my life doing everything in my power to make you as happy as you've made me." More tears spilled from her eyes and she could see that even Callen's were getting a little glossy, she tightened her hand that she still had linked with his. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" He hadn't even finished the question before the answer was rolling off her tongue. There was tinking of glasses, laughter, and clapping. "Yes, yes, yes!"

For Nell and Callen there was only each other as he stood dragging her up with him. She'd kissed him so many times, but this was different, special, electric. She was in a highly emotional state, _euphoric_. She still felt lightheaded, but secure with Callen's arms around her waist holding her to his body as lips touched with great passion.

She finally needed air and with all the cheering going on she remembered they were not alone. She blushed and smiled at him. He looked happier than she'd ever seen him, a smile stuck upon his face. He pulled the ring from the box and put the box on the table. He took her left hand and slid the ring in place.

She looked at it for the first time, the ring didn't matter in her book. The man did.

But _damn!_

The ring looked like something fit for a princess. The ring looked vintage, the band white gold and intricately carved in beautiful designs. The band became wider as it came to the front to support the large heart shaped diamond. _You are my heart_. Her smile started to hurt her cheeks but she was far to happy to care.

She turned, grabbed him by both sides of his face and pulled him back down for another kiss, his happily obliged, his hands curving around her back and dipping her low. Deeks and Eric both whistled loudly, Kensi, Michelle and Hetty tinged forks off of their glasses. Sam laughed and both children looked happy.

Nell leaned back. "I love you so much G," she still had tears of joy streaming down her face and he wiped them away with his thumbs.

"I love you too."

"Uncle G?" Zachary piped up. "Does this mean you and Nell are getting married like Mom and Dad?"

"Yes," Callen replied, keeping an arm around his fiancé. Fiancé. There was a word to get use to.

"So Nell's going to be Auntie Nell?" Zoe inquired.

"Well... yeah, I guess so," Callen replied again bemused.

Zoe smiled and clapped her hands together.

The couple became the focus of joyful congratulations and heart-felt well wishes. It seemed that Zoe was the only female that was impervious to the proposal, Hetty dabbing her eyes with a monogrammed handkerchief. "I'm so happy for both of you," she said. Callen could read behind her eyes, the joy, the sadness that still lingered over her guilt about his mother.

Kensi sniffled and waved hands in front of her face as she looked up and blinked using every trick in the book to keep her tears back. "You two are so beautiful together, I wish you all the happiness in the world." She got up and pulled them both into a hug. And then everyone was up and there were more hugs.

Sam clapped a heavy hand on Callen's shoulder and there was a understanding that passed between them. "I'm happy for you man," he said quietly and Callen nodded gratefully. Sam then put a hand on Nell's shoulder. "You call me if he gives you trouble," he shot her a wink.

Nell laughed. "I'm sure I can handle him."

Michelle pulled them both into a hug. "Thank you, Nell, this one's been needing someone special. Even I didn't think he'd get lucky enough to land someone like you."

"Hey!" Callen said, there was indignance in his tone, but the smile was stuck in place.

Deeks pulled them both into a hug next. "Keep each other happy, alright?" He gave them a patent Deeks smile and backed away so other's could come up.

Eric was next, he and Callen shook hands. "You're a good man, Callen. Take care of her."

Callen nodded. "I will."

Eric then turned to his partner. "Congratulations Rock Star!"

"Thanks Eric." She pulled him into a hug.

The woman then swarmed around Nell, 'oohed' and 'awed' over the ring. Kensi looked over at Callen, she smiled and shot him a wink. He smiled and gave her an acknowledging nod.

Eventually everyone got back to sitting and Deeks went to give Madison the all clear.

Nell looked over at her boyfri-... her fiancé. She smiled at the though. Her hand went over his hand he picked it up and kissed the back of her hand. It was such a old fashioned gesture, but it gave her the tingles. 'I love you' she mouthed.

He just leaned in closing the space between them and gave her another kiss. Engaged. G Callen and Nell Jones were now well and truly engaged.

Deeks came back in and Madison was with him with menus. "I hear that congratulations are in order," Madison said happily looking over at Callen and Nell. "I wish you much love and happiness."

"Thank you," they both said.

Madison silently handed out the menus and then seemed to disappear from the room.

"So scale from one to ten," Deeks said smiling over at Callen. "How nervous were you."

"Twelve," Callen replied cooly. There was good natured laughter among friends.

"You didn't need to be nervous, G," Nell said with a smile. "I already said yes five times." The table started laughing once again.

"What are you talking about?" Callen asked her looking rather perplexed.

She bit her lip for a second. "After the accident. The first time you woke up... it was like... just incase... you had to ask. No ring, hardly any breath and just the words 'marry me?'" Nell got all teared up again. "And then you didn't remember so you did it another four times after that."

"And you said yes," he said with a little nervous smile.

"All five times," she whispered back. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," she smiled. "And now I get to." It was like they simply couldn't get enough of each other and once again his lips were against hers in a well rehearsed dance. When they drew back, both had smiles upon their faces.

::

**Finally, he proposed. It happened. OMG. I hope it lived up to everyone's expectations ;)**

**Thank you for reading!**


	56. Chapter 56

"Should we tell her?" Eric asked.

Callen smiled. "Yeah, I think it's about time."

"Tell her what?" Nell looked to her partner, and then to her fiancé.

Eric got up and crossed the room, in the corner there was a sliding door cupboard that usually held extra supplies for the waitresses. Now it had wiring a muted computer and a camera that had been peeking out. "We thought that you'd want to share the moment with your parents," Eric said.

"But they couldn't fly out just for this, especially on such short notice," Callen explained.

"So..." Eric clicked a few buttons, the live feed closing down, but had been recorded. He then opened the SKYPE channel and brought up Susan's account and turned on the volume.

"Oh my God," Nell whispered new tears prickling in her eyes. "You guys..."

Behind Susan was her husband, as well as most of the children, only Steven and Logan missing. They were all cheering and then realized they were now online. "Hey honey!" Susan said with a wave.

"Mom," Nell said softly. "Hey... I'm engaged."

"We see that," Riley cut in. "Well come over here, let us get a good look at that rock!"

"Riley," Cynthia punched him in the arm. "What he means to say is that we're very happy for you."

"Thank you," she replied to her sister-in-law.

"The proposal was so beautiful," Chloe could be heard saying behind her siblings, it was also obvious that she was crying.

"We're very happy for the both of you," Alan said. "And we should get off this line so you can all get back to celebrating." His eyes found Callen's. "Take care of her."

"I will," Callen promised.

The feed was shut down and Eric left the equipment there, he'd take it down later. Nell was biting on her bottom lip trying to keep from crying. She turned to Callen. "Thank you," she turned then to her partner. "You too, I know he couldn't have set that up with out you."

Callen couldn't even find it in himself to get offended by her insulting his tech-savvy, he was too damn happy.

Drinks were had, dinner was ordered and the night went by all too quick. A flash, their moment still shining so bright, the night a whirlwind.

Having to get the children home early for bed, Sam, Michelle, Zachary and Zoe were the first to leave a few hours before anyone else.

Madison had come in all smiles. "I'm afraid we're closing up," she said.

"Thanks," Callen said standing before placing a kiss on the top of Nell's head. "I'll be right back, I just got to settle the tab."

"Don't' worry about it," Madison replied. "It's already been taken care of."

Callen stared confused. "By who?"

"Miss Henrietta Lange."

Callen shook his head. "Should have known."

Deeks turned and kissed Madison on the cheek. "Thanks for this."

"Jax says that you owe me as well," Madison said with a cheeky grin. "He said to tack on the 'big time.'"

"Jax never half-asses anything," he said leading the procession out of the room.

Madison laughed and turned as they got to the entrance of the restaurant. "I hope you've all had a good time."

"Wonderful," Nell said leaning against Callen, his arm around her shoulders.

"Again," Madison said facing the happy couple. "I wish you all the best."

"Already got it," Callen said holding Nell tightly.

"Okay, I can't take anymore of this mush," Kensi said. "I'll be a puddle of goo to be mopped off the floor." She kissed Callen on the cheek and then Nell. "I love you both so much, and now I'm leaving before I require chocolate and wine." She did a quick turn and a wave as she headed out to meet the valet with her car.

Eric came up with his gear. "See you guys Monday!"

"Bye Eric," Nell waved as he headed out and the rest followed.

Nell held tightly onto Callen's arm wanting to be impossibly closer to him, while Deeks said his goodbyes to Madison and then came out behind them. "See you guys Monday, don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Which would be?" Callen replied and he heard the detective's laughter. Deeks grabbed his keys from the valet and Callen held out his hand for the keys to the Mini Cooper as Nell passed over the card she'd had in her clutch.

"Have you even been cleared to drive?" Nell asked, he rarely drove her car, but since his was out of commission...

"Yeah," Callen replied. "But if you want to..." he held the keys from his fingertips. He needed to get back behind the wheel again, he'd been in plenty of car crashes, this past one easily the worst. It was best to get right back to it, and the past few months of healing time hadn't been good for the nerves.

Nell studied Callen. "No, it's okay, you drive." She sensed he needed to get back behind the wheel. She got into the passengers side of her Mini- Cooper. "You can drive stick, right?" She asked teasingly knowing full well that he could.

"I'm insulted Miss Jones," he replied adjusting the belt to his height shaking his head at how low she kept it. He then pulled it across his body and could feel it pressing against the bruise lines that still lingered from when his belt had locked up during the accident. He took a deep breath and started up the car and then looked over to watch Nell click her belt into place. "Ready to go?"

"Good to go," she replied with a smile.

::

Kensi got into her house, kicked off her heels and let out a sigh as her feet flattened out. Oh the things women do for beauty. She padded barefoot across the hardwood floor until it changed to ceramics in the kitchen. She pulled a beer out of the fridge and opened it. The day had been so emotional, so happy, filled with warmth and love that practically radiated off of the couple.

And now she was once again completely, utterly, painfully alone.

She took a long pull from the beer and made her way to her bedroom. She set the bottle down on her dresser and reached around to pull down the zipper on her dress. She let it fall to the ground and she kicked it to the side. She pulled on an oversized t-shirt, grabbed the beer and went into the living room flopping down on the couch.

She tried to tell herself that she was fine with this, with coming home to an empty house, to nothing but the television and her unstocked fridge.

When had all this become 'not enough.' She didn't want more furniture. She didn't want a bigger house. She didn't want a nice table lamp or a upgraded kitchen. She wanted this house to be a home. She wanted return from the day and have someone to spend the night with. She wanted his smile. She wanted his warmth. She wanted his laugh. It took her a few seconds to realize it wasn't some mysterious 'him' that she wanted, it was Deeks.

She and Deeks got caught up in the whirlwind of emotions on occasion... and then... nothing. Then again, he'd said it, he'd come out and said those words she so desperately wanted to hear, and yet, couldn't say back. Whispered 'I love you's' replayed in her mind.

Part of her wanted to be spontaneous, to get up, get dressed, go to Deeks and kiss him senseless. She convinced herself that the impulse was caused by the engagement bliss she was currently feeling. Tomorrow she'd be far less susceptible to such romantic notions and that would be best. Deeks was her partner... and yes she felt more for him... She ran her hands through her hair frustrated. "Why is this so hard?" She asked the universe. The universe didn't answer.

::

Eric knocked on the door and a few seconds later Bethany showed up. "Hey," she greeted with a smile and a little dance. "Come on in. I re-decorated."

"Really," Eric said stepping in, he pulled flowers out from behind his back. "Do you have room for these."

"Oh!" Bethany gasped and smiled widely. "Oh, Eric, they're just beautiful!" She took them from him and buried her nose in the bright bouquet of orange lilies and red and yellow roses. "What are these for?"

Eric shrugged. "Because I like you."

She blushed. "I like you too," she whispered quietly and then nodded in gesture for him to follow.

The livingroom had a different set up, she had a couch to the side, a small one, he guessed from Ikea, or some such store. She'd gotten a new coffee table. Her colourful bean bag chairs were around it. The room was still bright orange, she'd gotten a new tv stand and televison. "Looks good," he told her.

"Thank you," Bethany responded heading into the kitchen she started her search for a vase. "I really need to re-organize in here..." she muttered. She found a large enough clear vase and filled it with water, mixed in the floral food and expertly cut the stems with a knife before dunking them into the water.

"You look like you know what you're doing," Eric commented.

"I worked at a floral shop for a little while," Bethany admitted holding the knife in her four fingers, putting the flower over her thumb and cutting downward on and angle in a swift movement. "When I first started I did it wrong, always cut my thumb," she said. "It's all about technique, it takes some getting use to." She put the last flower into the water and then cleaned up the stems and paper.

She smiled at the bouquet. "You have some kind of wonderful timing."

"How so?" He inquired.

"I just got some documents back... David finally signed the divorce papers."

"Really?" His voice went up an octave.

"Yeah," she said with a smile and a laugh of relief and happiness, and freedom. "Yeah he finally signed them."

Without thought he stepped into her personal space, dipped his head and captured her lips. He felt her cool hands run along his jaw line and down his throat, her lips pressing against his with the same fever. He pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm happy for you."

Instead of answering she just re-claimed his lips and pulled on his suit jacket as she backed toward the bedroom.

::

"It would seem desperate, wouldn't it?" Deeks asked Monty.

The dog lifted his head, panted a bit and then laid back down and rolled over in request of a belly rub.

In a pair of blue drawstring pyjama pants he sat down on the floor beside his canine companion and ran a hand over the dog's fur. "I think she should make the next move. Right?" Deeks had been pretty clear on his feelings. She... not so much.

The dog simply laid there content with his life.

"You're not exsactly helpful," Deeks muttered.

Monty gave him a look as if to say 'I'm a dog, you moron.'

Deeks sighed and decided to get to bed before he did something spontaneously stupid... like show up on Kensi's doorstep.

::

Callen put the car in park and exited the vehicle quickly walking around to the other side and opening the door for Nell before she got the change. She smiled, and took his hand that he'd extended to her. "Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome," his hand on the small of her back, he lead her toward the house. Key in the door he opened it. "Now..." he said softly his eyes trailing over her body as he shut the door behind them. "I know for a fact that those," he pointed to her stockings. "Need a garter."

"Really?" Nell replied slyly.

"Yes," Callen replied his hands coming to rest at the front of her hips, his thumbs rubbing little circles. "Metal wires of a corset," he whispered as he took a few steps forward causing her to take a few steps back until she was backed against the wall in the entrance way. His hands splayed across her stomach, his fingers feeling through the material of the dress to the imprints of what was underneath. "Lace." His hands moved up the sides. "I bet all that is silk." His breath hot against her neck, his stubble rubbing against her collarbone as he spoke. His thumbs pressed against the underside of her breasts causing her breath to hitch. "Pleats." His lips finally moved against her neck in slow, hot kisses that had her gripping onto his jacket. "La Perla," he whispered.

"The gift that keeps on giving," she whispered playfully.

He stood a little straighter, his eyes locking with hers. She smiled and he smiled right back.

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	57. Chapter 57

The time after the engagement flew by. There were cards of congratulations that had come in the mail, Nell had them lined up on a bookshelf they had purchased one weekend. Their living room finally coming alive with a big comfy white couch topped with colourful bright blue and vibrant yellow pillows. The lamp the Hanna's had given for Callen's birthday found a home on a side table.

A still frame from the proposal video captured Nell's look of awe, and Callen's adoration as he got down on one knee before her, the picture hung on the wall along with a picture of Nell's parents with their grandchildren, a picture of Zachary and Zoe making faces at the camera, a recent shot of Christian and Chloe both with hands over her very pregnant belly. Construction had started in the bathroom, windows were being replaced, Nell had finally gotten around to putting flowers in the large pots that had sat bare for too long outside of his door. Their home coming alive and was starting to reflect those who lived there.

"It's going," Nell insisted.

"Come on, it's the only chair I've ever owned," Callen complained.

"It's from IKEA," Nell whined unable to understand why he just didn't seem to get it.

"It's a perfectly good chair."

"It's ugly, it goes against the colour scheme of the entire room!"

There wasn't much of an argument to make "But it's just fine."

"We'll donate it, someone else will get use of it."

Callen sighed. "I'll take it."

She kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

::

On the way back from donating the chair at a local second hand store he found his way to the office and parked his car in the garage. "Callen," Sierra's voice was surprised as he walked through the garage. "Hey. Um.. How are you?" She was wringing a grease covered rag in her hands, her grey mechanic's one piece jumper had stains here and there, her long blonde hair up in a ponytail, her blue eyes nervous and uncertain.

"Good," he replied coming up to her but maintaining a good distance of personal space between them. He knew how nervous she got and any closer the skittish mechanic would start taking steps back. They hadn't talked since he'd been in the accident, but he was due to return to work soon. "Sorry about the Mercedes," he said shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking slightly on his heels.

She smiled. "Totalled. You completely demolished it. There was absolutely nothing for me to fix, nothing for me to salvage." She noticed him wince and then cast her eyes downward, ashamed. "Sorry, Callen. I shouldn't have brought it up." She knew better than most the pain that could be brought up with the most innocent of words.

Callen shrugged. "It was an accident, it happens. Don't worry about it..." He gave her a smile. "You're going to give me hell when I try to sign out a car, aren't you?"

"Absolutely," she promised with just a hint to a smile.

He nodded. "Good. I got to go speak with Hetty, I'll see you around."

"Okay," she replied and as he turned she spoke again. "Callen." He turned back to her. "I'm glad you're okay."

He smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

"Oh, and I heard through the grapevine of NCIS gossips that you and Nell got engaged."

"We did," he admitted slowly with that familiar rise of warmth in his chest.

"Congratulations," she said with a kind smile and for a second she looked a lot like the agent she had once been.

"Thanks, I'll pass it on to Nell."

Sierra nodded and the started walking back to her station while Callen walked outside and headed over to the office.

::

"Mr Callen, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Hetty asked as he stepped into her office. She had a her laptop open, a pen and paper to her right and a tea cup in her hand.

Slowly he sat down in the chair. "The footage, from the accident. I need to see it."

Hetty froze in surprise for a split second and then very slowly she sat down the cup onto the saucer. "Mr Callen..."

"Hetty. Please."

"Why? Mr Callen consider the fact that you do not remember a blessing."

"I need to know what happened Hetty. I need to see it."

Hetty was quiet for a long moment. "Okay... Miss Niigata is up in OPS, she can get the footage for you." Callen stood but turned back to her when she called his name. "Are you absolutely sure you want to see this?"

Callen nodded. Nell woke with nightmares he didn't remember. He needed to see it, needed to understand what happened, if nothing else to learn from the mistake and ensure nothing like it happened again.

"Very well," Hetty said as way of dismissal and Callen headed up to the OPS Centre.

The doors slid open automatically, the air cooler the A/C on full to keep the computers from overheating. The soft blue haze of lights kept the room in working conditions and didn't harm the technicians eyes.

He found Kimi Niigata easily enough, she was kind of hard to miss. She was a little on the short side but taller than Nell, her face was lit up with cheerfulness. Her hair was incredibly dark but for a streak of bold colour on the underside, a trademark of sorts that he seen changed by the month, sometimes by the week depending on her whims. She skipped around and did a little bit of a dance and he realized that she had headphones in her ears. He smiled and kept back as he watched. Her neon green dress flared, her legs with designed nylons showing off swirling designs as she twirled.

She caught his blue eyes with her light brown ones and she smiled she put her tablet down on the table and grabbed his hands pulling him into her dance. "I love this song," she said taking out one of the pods and putting it in his ear. It was some dance song with a catchy beat. She ducked under his arm in an impromptu twirl her headphone falling out and he couldn't help but laugh, she laughed with him. He gave her the headphone she'd put on him.

"You got engaged," she said in sing-song with a happy smile and a little dance and quick tap of her feet with excitement. "It's so wonderful! Nell was in here. I seen the engagement footage." She put her hands over her heart. "Swooned. You know how often 'swooned' is used? Next to never! Why? Because men just aren't romantic anymore. You, you're one of the good ones." She fanned her watery eyes. "Just thinking about it's got me all worked up." Callen chuckled slightly embarrassed.

"So," she said calming down. "Since you're suppose to be home recuperating, what are you doing up here in OSP?" She asked her eyebrows drawing down, nose scrunching up and hands on her hips. "You should be taking care of yourself, mister!"

Callen sighed. "I need to see the footage."

"The engagement footage? I don't hav-"

"No," he said cutting her off. "The accident."

"Oh," the smile slid off her face, her shoulders slummed, she bit her thin bottom lip. "Look... Callen... It's not really necessary, I mean..."

"Kimi..." He narrowed his eyes.

"Callen," her eyes grew wider with innocence and sadness. "Don't do this to yourself," she said softly.

"I need to see it," Callen insisted.

Kimi frowned. "Okay," she relented. She went to her terminal and started clicking through data. "I stayed with Nell when Eric went to inform the rest of your team," she said almost conversationally, but there was a tremor of sadness in her voice. "She's a tough woman, but..." Kimi brought the footage up and then touched the screen sliding it to the big screen. "It was bad Callen. Really bad. I have to ask once again, are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Then excuse me, I really don't need to see it again," Kimi said standing and putting her tablet in his hand. "Press play when you're ready."

He nodded and she walked away the doors automatically sliding closed behind her and he went to stand in the middle of the room looking at the first frame of the video.

_He pressed play. _

::

"Four hours," Sam said as his fiancé flew around the room.

"What?" Michelle stopped for a second and looked at him.

He leisurely flipped the page of the newspaper. "Four hours. We don't have to leave the house for another four hours. The rehearsal dinner isn't going to start without us anyways. Calm down."

"Says you!" Michelle's voice went up in pitch. "Have you even picked up your suit?"

"Three days ago," Sam replied with ease as his eyes skimmed the sports stats. "I picked up our rings from getting cleaned. The kids's outfits are in our closet so they can't mess them up before the event." He looked over at his flustered fiancé and took pity. He folded up the paper, set it down and stood. She had only grown more beautiful with time. He cupped her chin and kissed her, all the stress and worries melting away as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her level.

"Eww!" Zachary cried from the doorway. "Gross."

"Mommy and Daddy are getting married!" Zoe screamed with excitement.

Sam rested his head against Michelle's. She smiled up at him and he smiled back. "Relax, Mitch. Everything is going to be fine."

She let out a breath. "Right. Zoe, it's time to do your hair."

"Do I get to wear my dress?"

"Tomorrow," Michelle promised.

Sam looked to his son. "Time for you to get ready too, come on."

::

Kimi popped her head back in to find Callen staring at the blank screen in front of him, her tablet still in his hands. He turned when she stepped closer. His face was tight, angry looking, his shoulders showing tension. "You okay?" she asked softly.

He nodded slowly and handed her back her tablet. "Just another day on the job, right?" his words were bitter and he seen Kimi flinch. Sighing he put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, Kimi."

"It's fine," Kimi replied. "I hope you got whatever you needed from it."

"I think I did," he responded. "Thanks Kimi."

She perked up and pressed on her ear piece. "Yeah, I'll run it," she said and he gave her an understanding nod and a wave as he left and she returned to work.

::

The rehearsal was being held outside in Michelle's mother's backyard. They had streamers around the area mimicking the proportions of the church they'd be getting remarried in the next day. Folding chairs were lined up for pews.

Everyone had dressed up a little bit, nothing as fancy as they'd be wearing the next day, but everyone tastefully done up.

Callen and Zachary stood up on Sam's side. Zoe walked down the isle throwing daises as she went as practice. They grew in large patches on Michelle's parent's side yard. Lea walked down the isle once Zoe was half way up. She looked to her brother and did a thumbs up getting the guests to laugh. Then Michelle in a white sun dress on her father's arm everyone standing as she came down, and then sat and watched with joy as they practised.

"The real deal is going to be beautiful," Kensi whispered to Nell who was sitting beside her.

Nell looked over to Kensi with tears in her eyes. "Do you have a tissue?" It was Deeks who pulled a pocket sized tissue pack from his trouser pocket and held it out in front of Kensi for Nell. "Thanks Marty," she said softly.

"What, were you a boy scout?" Kensi asked with a shake of her head.

"No, but I always come prepared. Bridesmaids always cry."

"That one is married," Kensi said with narrowed eyes. "She has children, Deeks!"

Deeks rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, someone should have some tissues. I'm that guy."

"Tissue man," Eric muttered from his seat.

The girls giggled.

They skipped over the vows that would be saved for the next day and mimed putting the rings on. Zachary looking proud of himself and threw the thumbs up back to his sister who swayed in her little purple dress.

::

The big back yard had food set out in a buffet style, the small group of friends and family gathering around at a large table outside to eat. The night went by quickly and the boys made their way away from the group for a beer on the outskirts.

Deeks, Eric, Callen and Sam stood in a circle and clinked beer bottles. "Congratulations," Eric said keeping it short and to the point. Sam smiled and nodded.

"Keep each other happy," was Deeks's sentiment.

"And if she makes muffins..." Callen moved quickly avoiding a punch aimed for his arm. He laughed.

::

**NOTICE:: Okay, first, I'm sorry for missing a bunch of updates in a row, that was awful, I'm sorry. **

**Secondly, to keep in with the TOS I've edited both Falling and both chapters of Prologue, the new versions are up and ready to be read :)**

**And to keep within the TOS I've deleted a few of my stories. Due to content not permitted I've taken down the smutty 'MA' stories. I'm looking for somewhere more lenient to post them, so if you have a place let me know ;) Also, if you were looking to read one of them, including the newest chapter of 'La Perla' that was taken down like a week after it was posted, just message me a request and I can send it. **

**Other than that, thanks for reading :)**


	58. Chapter 58

Nell tossed her keys in the bowl and took off her shoes. "The rehearsal was just lovely," Nell commented. "The way they kept glancing at each other... it was really sweet."

"I'll tell Sam you said that," Callen replied with a teasing tone.

She rolled her eyes. "Come on G, you have to admit, weddings are incredibly beautiful and romantic." She turned just in time to see him smile, just a little. "The moment where the doors open and the bride is revealed. The music as she walks down the isle to the man of her dreams," she walked up to him and put her hands on his chest as she gazed up at him lovingly. "The romance of professing undying love in the vows... the magical moment where they look into each other's eyes and say 'I do,' and then they-"

Callen kissed her quickly, his hand running along the side of her jaw to the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair. Lips moved in a slow sultry dance. He pulled back slightly. "They do that," he said, his voice husky.

"Do what?" She responded her voice low. "I think you many need to show me again."

He smiled. "I can do that."

::

Nell usually slept in the same position, a leg wrapped around his, and arm over his waist and her head resting on his chest, she didn't move much during her sleep but did wake most times when he did. Whenever he tried to get out of bed during a bout of insomnia she'd wake and scowl at him. Most nights he tried just laying there so she would get her rest.

Then there were nights were Nell was fitful. Sleep coming in waves, sometimes she'd tense up, her leg and arm pulling him tighter, holding him like a life line. Sometimes she'd cry in her sleep. Sometimes, if it was bad enough she'd even get screaming. These were rare, so when it happened- especially after the couple having such a good night, it startled Callen, who for once had actually been sleeping.

The sound of Nell's distressed scream, his name just his name, from her lips had him jolting awake with a sudden surge of adrenaline. "G!" She screamed again curling up a bit her bare leg sliding against his pyjama covered one. Her fingernails digging into his side through the fabric of an old t-shirt.

"Nell," he said taking a hold of her shoulder, she wore a cute little blue nightgown with silver moons and golden stars. "Nell, I'm right here, wake up."

"G!" she cried out again, her voice holding such raw emotion, such fear, such grief.

"Babe, come on, wake up," he sat up and gave her a gentle shake. "Wake up, I'm right here Nell, I'm right here."

Her eyes flew open and she tried to at first push him away in her confusion. The fog lifted from her eyes as she fully woke, she looked at him, tears started streaming down her face and she launched herself into his arms. "G!" She was panting, her skin damp from sweat but she was cold, shivering and holding onto him with strength he didn't know she had.

"Hey, it's okay," he whispered rubbing circles on her back. "It's okay."

It took a few minutes of him whispering calming words in her ear before she finally calmed down and relaxed in his embrace. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No," he lied. He tilted her chin and her eyes still held fear of the nightmare. "Want to tell me about it?" She looked down and bit her lip. The one thing she avoided talking to him about was the accident. "I'm okay," he said softly. "I'm right here."

"It's fine," she shook her head. "I'm going to make some tea, go back to sleep."

"I wasn't sleeping," Callen replied standing with her. He followed her into the kitchen where she brought down two mugs, and clicked on the kettle. "So," he said stepping up behind her, his hands going under her arms and gripping the counter top, effectively blocking her with his body. "Was it the accident?" She shuddered against him and he wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. "It's okay to talk about it, Nell."

"You shouldn't have to remember," Nell said softly. "I don't want you to remember."

"I watched the footage."

She stiffened in his arms and pushed his hands away so she could turn and face him. Her eyes glossy. "You didn't."

He shrugged. "I needed to see it." The kettle whistled loudly and he quickly reached out and turned it off.

"No, no, no," Nell's bottom lip quivered. "You didn't, you didn't have to see it G!"

"Hey," he cupped her face with his hands and her eyes locked onto his. "I needed to see it."

"Why?" her voice wavered. "Why would you want to put yourself through that?"

"At the very least, to ensure I never made the same mistake professionally," he said softly wiping away a tear that had fallen from her eyes. "I want you to stop being afraid to talk to me about it. I watched the footage, I still don't remember any of it happening, but at least now I know what happened." He pulled her into his body and held her tightly. "I can't imagine what you went through watching it live." She let out a choked sob and her hands gripping the material of the well worn t-shirt. "Talk to me, Nell." His hand kept rubbing her back comfortingly.

"I was so scared," she whispered. "Eric hadn't heard me come in, but I watched and your car flipped over the median... and then the other car hit it and then another hit that one and your car was sliding along the roof... and in my mind, all I could think is _'no one can get into an accident that bad and survive'_ Oh God." She was shaking in his arms and he held her tighter physically reassuring her that he was there. "And then I kept thinking that you had to be alive, you had to... like if you weren't the entire universe would collapse."

"I'm not that important," he said lightly.

"You are to me," she whispered back. They stayed in silence for a long moment until Nell was ready to speak again. "Being in the OPS centre and watching... knowing I'm so far away, too far away to do anything that makes a difference."

"I hear that you were the one to call for medical," he reasoned. "You were exactly where you needed to be to help me, Nell."

She pressed her ear against his chest and listened to the strong, steady beat of his heart. "I can't stop being afraid," she whispered.

"It was an accident," Callen said in a low voice. "It could have happened to anyone, anywhere."

"The accident was just the catalyst," she said. "It's not what I'm afraid of."

"Then what is it?"

She looked up at him with a look that clearly said she thought it was obvious. "I'm afraid of losing you."

"Well... I'm afraid of losing you," he replied kissing her forehead. "I guess that is what it is to be in love."

She smiled, just a little. "I never get tired of hearing you say stuff like that."

"What? Stuff like... I love you."

"Yeah, stuff like that," she responded a little shyly.

"Well, I do, I love you. I love you. I love you."

"Again," she requested with a giggle.

"I love you," he said as he picked her up. "Come on," he said.

"I was going to have tea!" She squealed her arms wrapping around his neck

"Yeah, well, now I'm going to love you."

::

The day had come. Sam and Michelle were getting remarried.

Kensi was running around the house. "This can't be happening!" She looked under a couch cushion, and then tore off all three. Nope. She looked under her computer desk. She checked by both the front and back door. Not there either. "Come on!" She nearly screamed in her exasperation. She went back to her room and was rummaging through her closet when there was a knock at her door. "Crap."

She stood and looked in the mirror. The dress was floor length shimmery silver silk, it was a halter and left her back exposed. Her hair was in an polished up do. Long crystal earings hung from her earlobe. Everything was just right. Only she couldn't find the shoes she'd wanted to wear.

There was another knock at the door. "Kensi! Your chariot awaits!" She smiled, only Deeks could make her forget her shoe problem. She walked out adjusted the dress she'd wore in hopes to make his jaw drop, not to mention silver/grey were the scheme and Sam had asked them all to wear it for the pictures- she suspected the request actually came through Michelle. She took a deep breath stood tall and opened the door. "Kensi," he said turning to face her. "Abou-" the words died on his tongue and his jaw hung open a little bit. He cleared his throat to cover it and she smirked a little. "You... Kensi, you look absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you," she replied looking him over. He wore white pants, a tucked in white shirt and a silver three button vest over it. On his chest was pinned a yellow calla lily boutonniere with leaves of variegated pittosporum. "You don't look half bad yourself... and look at that," she said leaning in a bit, his cologne intoxicating her senses. She still hadn't figured out what it was. "You shaved," she said.

He smiled. "Sam told me too. It's his day," Deeks shrugged. In his hand was a little plastic container, he held it out to her. "I wasn't sure if you were getting one made or not... but I figured... maybe you didn't... and would... just open it."

Kensi snickered at his inability to form a proper sentence and opened the container. Inside was a corsage that matched Deeks's, it seemed special, intimate that they would be wearing matching ones.

"It's a bracelet corsage," Deeks said. "I didn't know what kind of dress you were wearing so I didn't go with the pinned one and good thing since you're in silk."

"It's lovely," she said softly. "Thank you."

She turned and Deeks swallowed hard at the look of her exposed back, the silver silk rippling over her bottom hiding it from view, but the lines of her spine and dips of her body were very much in view. "So," he cleared his throat. "Ready?"

"No, I can't find my shoes."

"What shoes?"

"The shoes, they're these silver two inch stilettos," Kensi said.

"With the rhinestones?" Deeks asked.

"Yeah...how did you..." her eyebrows drew together as she looked at him puzzled.

"You wore them on that one case, remember? They're in my car. I meant to bring then in, I'll be right back... or I could carry you and you could just put them-"

"Go Deeks."

"Going," Deeks replied turning and walking back out the door leaving her smiling and studying the beautiful, corsage he'd given her.

::

Eric was dressed in grey trousers, and a white shirt. He wore a silver tie over it and actually bothered with real shoes. If he did anymore, he'd give Sam a heart attack on his wedding day, and that would be a damn shame. He left his place early enough that he could get to Bethany's, his 'plus one' for the wedding.

He knocked on the door and she opened it with one hand as she fidgeted with a white gold hoop hearing. "Hey," she greeted him.

"Hey," he responded his eyes taking in her lanky form. She wore glittery flats, a grey pencil skirt and a white ruffle blouse. Her long blonde hair was down, but there was something different... bangs. "You cut your hair."

She smiled widely. "You noticed!" She finally got the hoop in and left it.

"It looks nice," Eric said with a nod.

She smiled. "Thank you," she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Is this okay?" she asked turning all the way around. "I wasn't sure what to wear. It's been years since I've been to a wedding, and I don't have any dresses anymore, I need to go shopping and-"

Eric kissed her softly once, and then again when she actually responded. "You look great."

"Well that's one way to shut a girl up, can we try it aga-"

::

**Thanks for reading! More wedding prep in the next one!**


	59. Chapter 59

Nell was chewing on her bottom lip where she was sprawled out on their comfy couch in the living room. Callen had come to lean in the door way and her eyes took him in. He was wearing the same grey suit from when he'd proposed to her, white collared shirt. The only difference was this time he was wearing a silver tie instead of the blue one Hetty had given him for his birthday. She licked her suddenly dry lips. "You look dashing," she said with a smile.

Callen looked over Nell, her dress was in the colour scheme as a very light grey. The chiffon was soft and flowy. Short capped sleeves the dress seemed to just float around her body. She wore it with a long necklace of pearls and silver balls, pearl studs in her ears. She'd made the time in the early morning to get her hair cut back to it's usual cute pixie cut, her natural dark hair styled to perfection. "You look gorgeous, we need to go before I start having ideas," Callen said with a mischievous wink.

Nell laughed and stood, the material falling back into place and with every step she took, it flowed. "You have the gift?"

"It's in the trunk," Callen replied. "Ready?"

She grabbed her silver clutch bag from the entrance table. "Just about," she replied before standing on her tip toes to kiss him lightly on the lips. Pulling back she slipped on a pair of grey kitten heels. "Okay, now I am."

::

Callen was directed by Lea to where Sam was getting ready in the basement of the church. Callen knocked twice and Zachary opened the door. "Hey Uncle G."

"Hey Zack, ready for the big day?"

"Yep," Zachary replied proudly. "I have the rings. I'm the ring bearer. It's really important."

"I know," Callen replied with a smile as he crouched down to the boy's height. "And they can't get married without you, so take really good care of those rings."

Zachary nodded with seriousness and his hand went into his pants to pull out the rings. "I'll keep them safe!"

"Good man," Callen replied before standing back up. Sam was wearing the same style, cut and colour of suit as Callen was. Sam was fussing with his tie and Callen bit the end of his tongue to keep from laughing. "You need me to get Hetty to help you with that?"

"Not funny, G," Sam snapped quickly. "It's a stupid tie."

"Should have went with a clip on," Callen replied leaning against the wall.

"G," Sam's tone was warning.

"You need a drink," Callen decided bring a flask out of his inside pocket.

"You got that past Nell?"

"Nell was the one who gave it too me," Callen replied with a laugh. "Apparently I was failing in my duties as Best Man if I didn't bring a flask of bourbon.

"Bourbon?"

"I know it's not some fancy champagne, but I know you enjoy a good bourbon on occasion."

Sam took the flask from Callen and took a swig. He made a face and passed it back. "I know I've done the entire 'getting married' thing before," he said quietly as he continued to fuss with the tie. "But... got to admit, still nerve racking the second time around."

"Can't be that bad," Callen insisted. He looked over to where Zachary was continuously checking his pockets to ensure the rings were still there. "With what we do for a living... it's not like getting married is dangerous."

"Could be," Sam replied. "After the divorce... Mitch's parents." He looked at Callen pointedly and Callen sighed knowing the full story. Michelle's parents had taken years to warm up to Sam being married to their daughter, they'd been furious as Michelle and Sam worked through the divorce... obviously they weren't going to be warm and welcoming.

"Should I have brought my SIG?" Callen said trying to lighten the mood.

Sam smiled, just a little finally getting his tie done to his liking. "I doubt that would help."

A double tap at the door. Callen went to the door and pulled it open just an inch. No one in front of him, he slowly looked down knowing the presence of Hetty. He stepped back and opened the door for her.

"Hi Miss Hetty," Zachary said and then checked his pockets again.

"Hello, Zachary," Hetty replied. "Are you ready for your duties?"

Zachary nodded. "I'm keeping good care of the rings."

Hetty turned to Sam and tutted. She motioned him to bend down and he sighed and did so. In a second she had his tie undone and started a new. Sam shot a 'what can you do' look over at Callen who bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"There," Hetty said pulling the tie nice and snug. "Now you're ready, Mr Hanna."

"Thank you, Hetty."

She nodded. "We rarely get second chances, Mr Hanna," she said softly.

"I know," Sam replied. "I won't be needing a third," he assured with a nervous smile.

"Well then, lets get this show on the road boys," she looked at her watch. "Now march! You three need to be at the front of the chapel within five minutes." She made a shooing motion with her hands. "Get moving!"

Zachary jumped up excited and hurried to the door, stopping to look back to find Sam and Callen following, Hetty close behind them.

::

The church was small but well maintained. It easily fit the small group of friends and family that had been invited for the intimate ceremony. Nell found a spot saved for her between Eric and Kensi. She sat down carefully.

"Your dress is so cute," Kensi gushed. "And you got your hair cut, it was strange seeing it longer."

Nell smiled. "Thanks, and it was getting to be a pain so long. I finally got an appointment this morning, and look at you Marty, clean shaven."

Deeks chuckled. "I know, my baby smooth skin is going to get all the ladies." Kensi made a show of rolling her eyes.

"Oh, how cute, you two have matching flowers," Nell said with a smile. She looked pointedly at Kensi who's cheeks flushed a little pink causing Nell to giggle. She decided to take pity on her friend and turned to Eric. "Check you out, wearing pants."

"I know," Eric said. "Sam told me if I showed up in board shorts he'd beat me with my flip flops."

Bethany giggled. "Did he really?"

"I don't doubt it," Deeks said from further down the pew.

The doors opened and everyone turned. Sam and Callen were chatting as they came down the isle, Zachary closing the doors behind them since he was going to be walking down the isle with his sister. Kensi was going to let out an inappropriate wolf whistle, and at last minute thought better of it. "They look incredibly handsome."

Nell sighed a little as she watched Callen closely. Even from the distance she could see the scar on the side of his head. She'd come close to losing him, but he was still here and she couldn't wait for their wedding day where they could start their married life together. He caught her eye, smiled and winked at her. She smiled and Kensi looked over at her with a friendly grin and a suggestive eyebrow bounce that made her laugh.

Sam took his place by the pastor, and Callen a step behind to his right. "You ready?" Callen asked quietly.

"Absolutely," Sam replied.

The music started to play and everyone turned in their seat as the door opened. First out was the ring bearer and flower girl, Zachary and Zoe. Zoe dressed in a silver dress with lots of sparkle and tulle that went down to the floor. She tossed rose petals of all different colours, yellow, white, red, pink from a woven basket. She tossed them looking like the happiest kid in the world. Next to her, her brother appeared nervous, terrified, his hand patting the pockets of his grey trousers checking for the rings.

Deeks was snapping pictures being the one on the outside of the pew, but it didn't stop the flashes from other family members. Eric was shooting video, and Nell was taking pictures from her position even though she'd be asking Deeks for the better centred images later.

Next down the isle was Lea who'd been the maid of honour when Sam and Michelle had gotten married the first time, she was the godmother to both of their children. She wore an ankle length silver dress with an umpire waist and a sweetheart neckline. She moved gracefully down the isle with a bouquet of roses in her hand. She stepped up on the stage and stood by Zoe who looked up at her excitedly.

The music changed up and everyone stood.

Sam's vision seemed to tunnel as the doors opened once more to reveal Michelle. Her dress was ivory, a sweetheart neckline embedded with rhinestones, a silver sash around her waist, the dress flowing down to the ground with simple elegance. Flowers in her hand, her arm around her father's as he lead her down the isle. Sam was pretty sure his heart was beating too fast, he'd forgotten to breathe. Half way down the isle Michelle finally looked up, she didn't wear a veil so there was nothing to obstruct the pure love in her eyes as a smile took over her face.

"Oh my God," Bethany whispered nudging Eric. "She's gorgeous!"

"Shoot," Kensi said waving her hands in front of her face. "Weddings," she said as if it explained everything.

"Tissues are in my pockets," Deeks told her lining up another shot and clicking on the camera.

"I'm so not reaching in there!" Kensi replied surprised. Deeks sighed, held the camera in one hand reached into his pocket and handed her the small package of tissues. "Thanks, Marty."

Deeks liked weddings. He enjoyed the energy of weddings, the happiness that seemed to touch everyone. He clicked a few more pictures as Michelle was passed from her father to Sam, and Deeks noted some tension through the lens. He looked away from the camera, perhaps there was tension between Michelle's father and Sam, but it seemed to have gone unnoticed by Sam since he only had eyes for Michelle. With a smile, Deeks took another picture and for a second his mind got away from him and he envisioned Kensi walking down the isle. She'd be absolutely stunning, just the image in his head had taken his breath away.

"You need one?" Kensi asked him with a little joking tone to try to cover up the lump in her throat as she dabbed under her eyes.

"I'm good," Deeks replied as everyone sat back down.

The pastor cleared his throat and began. "We are gathered here today to bare witness to union of two people, bound by love and affection." The pastor cleared his throat. "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends," he said quoting the Bible. "Corinthians 13:4-8" Closing the bible he looked to both the bride and then the groom. "I understand you have written your own vows. Sam, you begin."

Callen could see how nervous his partner was and it almost made him laugh. An operation could go wrong and his partner wouldn't break a sweat, professing his love in front of a small gathering of friends and family and his nerves were livewires.

"Michelle Lawrence," Sam started trying to remember the words he'd practised over and over again in the weeks before the wedding having wanted to get it just right. "I love you. I've loved you since we first met, softball game. You single handedly destroyed my team." Michelle smiled at the memory. "And I've loved you every moment since. I've loved you when we'd sit and talk about nothing. I loved you when I was deployed. I loved you when we were picking out our first house." He took her hands in his and her eyes started to tear up. "I loved you when you told me you were pregnant with Zachary. I loved you through morning sickness and in health." She laughed as the first tear fell down her face.

Callen poked Sam in the back and handed him a handkerchief which Sam took to pass to Michelle who quickly dabbed at her eyes.

"You've given me your heart, two beautiful children and a life that I cherish."

Kensi, Nell and Bethany were all crying openly over how beautiful the vows are. "Pass the tissues, please," Bethany requested. Deeks passed them to Kensi who continued passing them don the line. "Thanks," Bethany whispered taking one and they got passed back down.

"I love you and I promise to never stop loving you, never stop believing in what we have or doing everything to prove to you that you are my one in six billion."

"Oh Sam," Michelle whispered fresh tears falling down her face.

The pastor looked kindly to Michelle. "Your turn."

She nodded and tried to pull herself together. "Sam Hanna," she began in the same formal tone he had but her voice was wavering with the purity of her emotions. "Everyday spent with you fills me with happiness, and warmth and love. We're standing here again but I'm not nervous... I'm too excited. I feel so blessed to be standing here with you, we've gone through so much together," her voice cracked and she paused for a moment trying to get her emotions back under control. "I just... I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to spend every moment I have by your side. Sam Hanna, I love you so much." Her voice breaking and fresh tears falling down her face. "You're my one in six billion."

"Good God," Kensi whispered. "I need another tissue."

Deeks put an arm over her shoulder and passed her the tissues as she leaned into his warmth surprising him.

"The rings?" The pastor requested.

Zachary jumped to attention pulling the rings out of his pocket and putting them in the pastor's hand. His little sister shot him a thumbs up sign and a couple people in attendance laughed.

The pastor put the first ring in Sam's hand. "Michelle Lawrence, do you take Sam Hanna to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward?"

"I do," Michelle responded quickly.

"Sam Hanna, do you take Michelle Lawrence to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, to love and to cherish, from this day forward?"

"I do," Sam replied.

The pastor handed Sam the first ring, both rings from their first marriage. "Please place the ring on the bride's finger and say: With this ring, I thee wed."

Sam put the ring over her finger. "With this ring," he slid it into place. "I thee wed."

Nell was biting on her bottom lip, weddings always got to her. Her eyes drifted from the bride and the groom to the best man, she wondered what kind of vow's he'd say. Her mind got caught up in daydreams.

The pastor handed Michelle the second ring. "Please place the ring on the groom's finger and say: With this ring I thee wed."

Michelle lined up the ring and pushed it into place slowly. "With this ring, I thee wed." She looked up at him and flashed her brilliant smile.

The pastor smiled warmly. "And by the power invested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride."

People stood and cheered, Eric and Nell whistling as the two came together in a short but passionate kiss. They slowly pulled away from each other with smiles upon their faces and hearts filled with the love. Their children came to their sides quickly.

"I liked that," Zoe said. "Can we do this again?"

"When it's your Uncle G's turn," Sam replied with a laugh.

::

**Thanks for reading!**


	60. Chapter 60

**A short chapter to finish it all off. Information on the next story in the series at the end ;)**

**The 'MA' chapters that were deleted have finally found a home. w w w dot adult fan fiction dot net (take out spaces and make the dot's periods: just saying I hate that you cant actually use links.) my pen name is ambrosiarush. La Perla is currently the only story I have posted, but I'll work on getting the rest up and running ;) If anyone has difficulties finding it, let me know. **

::

Food, music and dancing were all held in a cosy banquet hall not a far drive from the church. The reception held laughter, warm embraces and well wishes. Michelle and Sam were very much wrapped up in one another on the dance floor. Kensi watched as Callen coaxed Nell out to dance and couldn't help the smile that came upon her face as she watched them move. Bethany and Eric were out on the dance floor too swaying back and forth in their own little world and she looked away when she realized she was starting to read their lips, it was their moment, not hers to pry into. Deeks was sitting a few chairs away showing Zachary a magic trick with a quarter and then teaching him how to do it. Kensi smiled, Deeks was with out a doubt great with children, he'd make an excellent father one day. He looked over at her, his blond mop of hair falling into his face just slightly, his good natured smile upon his face, eyes lit up with the happiness that followed such occasions. She smiled back and he returned to teaching Zachary the trick of making the quarter disappear.

::

Nell smiled up at Callen as he lead her on the dance floor. He was smooth with dancing, so smooth in fact that it made her feel like she was stumbling, he slowed his pace to allow her to keep up and she felt a little defeated. "Who knew you were such a good dancer," she commented.

"Look at where I work," he replied easily. "You think Hetty would let me out to a club without first ensuring I wouldn't make a complete fool of myself?"

She shook her head and laughed lightly. "No, I guess not." The tempo changed to a song much slower and he slowed the movements considerably pulling her close to his body leaving no room between them and adjusted his hold on her to continue dancing. "You really are good at this. I feel like I should have taken lessons before coming here tonight."

He leaned down a little, his eyes sparkling in the lights. "I'll teach you," he whispered softly.

She smiled and closed the distance between them, her lips pressing lightly against his.

::

"See," Sam told his wife with a smile upon his face. "It all went off with out a hitch. You shouldn't have worried so much."

Michelle rolled her eyes but the smile never left her face. "Yes, it did." He pulled her closer and she leaned into his body. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you too, Mrs Hanna."

"Oh, Mrs Hanna," Michelle responded with a smile. "I'm going to keep signing my cheques wrong for the next few months, again."

"Well, I'll keep reminding you," Sam informed her and she laughed.

::

"I love weddings," Bethany said as she and Eric took a seat, resting after dancing so many songs in a row and returning to their glasses of water. She took a sip and eased into the chair. She'd been married, and forgot what it was like to be in a loving relationship, forgot the desires of making it permanent. Now divorced and with a blank slate she seen the hopes and dreams, the commitment, love and happiness that came with weddings. Looking at Eric, she could remember all those desires of a little girl who wanted a man in her life, a Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet. So, she'd gotten it wrong the first time around. She'd be more careful this time. She leaned into him, her head resting on Eric's shoulder. "Such a beautiful night."

Eric nodded in agreement, he'd never seen Sam look so serene, so happy. Nell and Callen were contently entwined with one another on the dance floor. Kensi appeared to be laughing across the room, likely at something Deeks was telling her from the way his hands moved as he talked. He watched as Zachary held up something shiny and then hid it in his hands in front of his sister. Opening his hand the object was gone and Zoe was looking on in awe. "Turned out to be quite the night," Eric noted. Hetty was talking with Eloise and Paul Hanna, all of them drinking champagne and seemingly in deep conversation.

::

Deeks finally convinced Kensi to join him on the dance floor. He twirled her around as he came to a stand still and pulled her back into his body to the beat of the music.

"Seems like we've found our rhythm," Kensi said with a smile, and could feel Hetty's eyes on her. "At least it makes it more unlikely we'll have those awful dance lessons with Hetty in front of the guys."

Deeks chuckled. "This is true, it was not my finest moment," he said as he lead and she actually let him. They kept in time to the beat and danced together gracefully. "I'm surprised that Sam and Michelle are only going away for the weekend, I thought they'd do a big second honeymoon."

Kensi shrugged. "They did it once, and besides I think they'd miss the kids too much."

"Nell and Callen taking them?"

"No," Kensi replied with thought. "Michelle's parents are, I think. Callen's got paperwork to catch up on, I think he said something about going in this weekend to put a dent in it."

"I think he's trying to avoid the construction in their place," Deeks said with a grin."

"They're really nesting there, aren't they?"

"Nesting?" Deeks questioned her choice of words.

"Yeah, bring everything together, changing the barren house and adding life to it bit by bit, like a bird does with sticks and yarn they're building a home together."

"You're romanticising."

"It's a wedding," Kensi defended with a hardened tone tucking away her heart behind walls once again. "It's allowed."

Deeks smiled and shook his head as they continued dancing to the beat.

::

The music slowly turned to silence as the night ended. The gathering hadn't been big to begin with, but many with children, or family members who had a long drive had already left the reception. Few were left to the end and watched as Michelle and Sam drove off. Everyone saying their goodbyes and heading to their respective vehicles.

Since Deeks had driven, he walked side by side with Kensi who'd closed off a bit since their dance. "You okay?" He asked unable to feel that he'd said or did something wrong.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'm just tired... my feet hurt," she looked down at her offending shoes.

"Well you can kick them off in the car," he said as he lead her around to the passengers side of the Camry. He unlocked and opened the door for her. "Milady," he said with a coy grin as he held his hand out to her. Surprisingly she took it and he waited until she was seated, checked her legs were in as well as her dress before shutting the door. He walked around to the drivers side taking a good look at his surroundings and taking a deep breath of Los Angeles night air. Nell waved when they locked eyes and he shot her a quick wave back. He heard her giggle as Callen helped her into her car. He sat down, shut his door and started up the engine. Buckled, he checked to ensure that Kensi was as well. She was staring out the window a serene expression upon her face. "Penny for your thoughts?" He whispered.

Sam and Michelle were now married, once again husband and wife. Callen and Nell were settling down, engaged and happy. Eric and Bethany seemed to be going strong. Her closest friends were pairing off. Happy with love in their hearts. She felt alone. She looked over to Deeks and wondered if he felt the same. Alone...

"I could really use a jelly donut," she deflected with a forced smile.

He smiled back. "I know a place that's open."

"It's not really necessary. I don't want to get the powder on the dress anyways."

"We'll bring them back to your place," he said as he pulled out into traffic. "Eat them in your pajamas."

Knowing he wouldn't let it rest, she stayed silent and watched the tail lights of other cars.

He looked over at Kensi, he knew his partner well enough to be able to see there was something more going on in her mind. She wasn't ready to talk about it yet though, but he wondered just how patient he was suppose to be.

::

Down the street he waited he watched through binoculars as Martin Deeks got out of his car. His lady friend was lovely, Kensi, Kensi Blye he'd learnt her name, who's address they were at. Deeks held a box of donuts up and the woman shook her head but there was a smile upon her face.

Who was he to get to have such a beautiful woman? Who was he to have the simple luxuries of driving a car? Of having such a fine suit? Of having those donuts?

From his position he watched the two go inside the woman's house and shut the door, blinds drawn. He let the binoculars drop to his lap. Soon enough Martin Deeks would _suffer_. He would understand what it was like to have your very life ripped from your fingers.

Yes, finally after all these years he would have his _retribution_.

::

**And that is the end of Exhale, by far the longest story I have written to date and believe it or not it hasn't even got to the plot point that initially inspired it. Thank you so much for sticking with the story I really appreciate all the support each and every reader/reviewer has given :)**

**Now, the next story in the series is a Densi (and I thank all you Densi fans who have waited it out this long and read along despite my main couple being Nallen) which will be titled Retribution (more information on my profile) it'll be a week or so before I have it out, so please be patient! **

**Again, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as I have enjoyed writing it! Love and Light~ Rush**


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